Request Records

Courts keep documents from all court cases until they are no longer necessary or relevant. This is called the “retention period”, which may be from one year to eleven years, depending on the case type. Most records are destroyed once they hit these limits. See the retention schedule here.

Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123 determines which records are releasable to the public and which are not. State law sets the costs. See Arizona Revised Statutes §22-281 (costs) and §12-304 (exemptions). We will provide public documents after making legally-required redactions to remove confidential information.

Where you will send your request depends on who you are.

Most requests:
Parties to a case, attorney firms, members of the public, private investigators, and other commercial businesses should send their request form to the specific court that heard the case. The court will be able to process requests for specific case files or recorded proceedings. The court can also provide certified copies for a fee.

Important: Our court clerks will not perform background checks, and requests for records without a case number may be declined.

• Find a case number or court name on our Search page.
• Get court contact information on our Locations page.

Media/Non-profit/Researcher Requests
News media, government offices, academics, or non-profit organizations seeking records, data, and procedural information should send their request form to the Justice Courts' Public Information Office.

The PIO may decline requests for case files from public members, litigants, or other investigators by instructing them to contact the court with jurisdiction over the case.

Requests for certified documents must be sent to the specific court that holds the case. The Public Information Office cannot certify case documents, as the certification process involves a judge's stamp.

Bulk justice court data is available monthly, containing details of new filings and terminations of all case types. It will also have specifics on all pending justice court cases which had activity during the previous month. Data is available for individual months back to 2005.

We send files electronically via a download link which paid subscribers will receive with a password to unlock. All data is provided as-is and the Maricopa County Justice Courts do not provide technical support or interpretation of the files. 

Before this data may be released, recipients must have a Data Dissemination Agreement and Certificate of Insurance on file with the Justice Courts’ Public Information Office and our attorney.

• Visit this cloud storage page for more information and a sample bulk data file.
• Or just download the request form with instructions for the DDA and CoI.

Generally, there is a fee to provide any document. Most costs are specified in state law as listed at the top of this page and are as follows:

• Case files: $.50 per page
• Certification: $33 per document (requests for certification MUST be sent to the specific court)
• Clerk fee/Search fee (for commercial requesters): $33 for up to 10 cases per day
• Bulk data download (after the above conditions have been met): $33 per month
• Transcripts: the Justice Courts do not provide transcripts. You will need to contact a court-approved transcription company, which will then request the video and do your transcription for a fee. See the list here.
• Audio/video recordings: $33 (provided on disc until April 3, after which date the process and cost will change).

Paying for Records
You may pay by check or over the phone with a credit card.

Some requesters may qualify for a fee deferral or waiver. Government offices and some defendants may be entitled to copies for free. Contact the court if you think these apply to you.

Want to listen to or watch a court case?
Courthouses are public places with an expectation of privacy. The public is welcome to attend any ongoing court proceeding unless the judge determines it is confidential, such as some protective orders or juvenile proceedings.

Many court hearings are now held virtually (phone/computer/video) rather than in person. Participants in a case will receive instructions on the appropriate method of attendance.

Some, but not all, judges livestream their hearings. To watch online, visit the Court Calendars page and click each court name to see which judge may have an active live stream. However, there is an expectation of privacy for some sensitive cases and the stream may end at any time.

Anyone attending a virtual proceeding should review our comprehensive web page on what to expect in an online hearing. The more you know, the better your participation will be.

Want to record or photograph a court case?
Arizona Supreme Court Rule 122 and Rule 122.1 do not allow for recording video, audio, or still images in courtrooms and courthouses without prior approval from the judge. Anyone who wants to make any recordings in a court building must download this request form and send it to the Justice Courts' Public Information Office with enough time to ask for judicial approval.

Courtroom cameras record most hearings automatically, every day. These recordings may be available after legally-required redaction to remove confidential information. See above for the request procedure.