Yes, divorce records in Arizona are public by default. Rule 123 of the Arizona Supreme Court Rules treats court records as open unless a law or court order closes them, and that presumption applies to dissolution cases filed in Superior Court.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123 – Public Access to Court Records The catch is practical: to actually read the documents, you almost always have to go to the county clerk’s office. Arizona keeps family law files off the general public online portals, so the internet will only show you a skeleton of the case.
What You Can Actually See
At the courthouse, the accessible parts of a divorce file typically include the names of both spouses, the case number, filing and disposition dates, temporary orders entered during the case, and the final decree with its rulings on property division, debt allocation, custody, and support.
Certain items are pulled out of the public version automatically. Rule 123 defines “sensitive data” to include Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and other financial account numbers, and documents containing that information are closed to public access unless a court orders otherwise.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123 – Public Access to Court Records You may see that a retirement account was divided, but not the account number itself.
Protective orders are also handled differently. Information about the filing or contents of an order of protection or an injunction against harassment stays hidden from the public until proof of service has been filed, so a respondent cannot discover the order through a records search before being served.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123 – Public Access to Court Records
Why You Cannot Just Look It Up Online
Arizona treats family law cases differently from other civil matters when it comes to remote access. Under Rule 123(g)(1)(D), the public can access civil case records electronically, but not family law, paternity, or other matters arising under Title 25 of the Arizona Revised Statutes.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123 – Public Access to Court Records Divorce sits under Title 25.
What is available online is the “case information”: a list of documents filed, event dates, party names, month and year of birth, residential city and zip code, case number, the assigned judge, attorney names, and minute entries from hearings held in open court.1New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123 – Public Access to Court Records The docket tells you a petition was filed on a given date. It does not let you read the petition.
Maricopa County illustrates the pattern. Its online docket search lets you look up cases by name or number and see docket entries.2Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court. Obtaining Records The county’s Electronic Court Records system does allow document viewing, but only for parties to the case and their attorneys.3Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court. Electronic Court Records (ECR) For anyone else, retrieving the actual documents means a trip to the courthouse or a mail request.
How to Request Copies
Records live with the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was filed. Arizona does not keep a single statewide repository of recent divorce records.4Arizona Secretary of State. How Do I Get a Copy of Marriage or Divorce That Took Place in Arizona Bring or include as much of the following as you can:
- Full names of both spouses.
- Approximate date the divorce was filed or finalized.
- Case number if you have it. This speeds things up considerably.
You can request copies in person or by mail, and some counties offer online request forms for certified or more complex requests.2Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court. Obtaining Records In-person payment is typically cash, money order, or debit or credit card. Personal checks are generally not accepted.
Clerks are required by statute to furnish certified copies of any court record on payment of the applicable fee, with an exemption for state and public officers acting in their official duties.5Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 12-120.09 – Duties of Clerk; Records; Certified Copies
Records Older Than About 60 Years
If the divorce is old enough, the county clerk may no longer hold the file. The Arizona State Archives keeps indices and case files for many older cases, with holdings running roughly from 1864 to 1972 depending on the county. Files typically contain complaints, judgments, and other documents, though most do not include transcripts.6Arizona Secretary of State. Arizona Genealogy – Marriage and Divorce Records For anything more recent, the county clerk is still the right contact.
What Copies Cost
Arizona’s Superior Court fee schedule sets statewide rates. Standard photocopies of court documents are $0.50 per page. A certified copy is the same per-page rate plus $35.00 for the certificate of correctness, which is the court’s official seal verifying the copy is accurate. An exemplified copy (two seals, sometimes required for use in another state) is $70.00, and authentication with three seals is $105.00.7Arizona Judicial Branch. Superior Court Filing Fees
A plain photocopy is enough for personal reference. If you plan to use the decree with a government agency, you generally need a certified copy with a raised seal, not a photocopy.
When a Divorce Record Can Be Sealed
Sealing is possible but hard. Arizona starts from a strong presumption of public access, and a court will seal a document only if all four elements of Rule 5.4(c)(2) of the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure are met:
- An overriding interest that outweighs the public’s right of access.
- A substantial probability of prejudice if the document stays public.
- A sealing order narrowly tailored to protect the sensitive information.
- No less restrictive alternative, such as redaction, that would work.
Courts grant sealing in situations such as domestic violence risk, trade secrets or proprietary business information disclosed during property division, or details that could harm a minor child. A general preference for privacy is not enough. The Arizona Supreme Court has held that any order closing court records must be “necessitated by a compelling governmental interest and be narrowly tailored to serve that interest.”8New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure Rule 5.4 – Filing Under Seal
Even when a record is sealed, the parties and their attorneys keep access to the full documents, and court personnel retain access for official purposes.