Clerk of Superior Court

Navigating the court system can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time dealing with legal paperwork, family matters, or court records. This guide is designed to walk you through how the Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court works, what the office actually does, and how you can use its in-person and online services to take care of real-world tasks like filing documents, getting a marriage license, paying court fines, and more. Everything here is based on information from the Clerk of Superior Court’s own official pages and is written for people who live in or need to interact with Maricopa County.

Understand what the Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court actually does

The Clerk of the Superior Court is a constitutional office created by state law to serve the public, the legal community, and the Superior Court itself. The office is separate from the judges and from the Superior Court as a whole, even though they work closely together. That independence is intentional: the Clerk is responsible for safeguarding court records and managing case-related money, not deciding cases.

Key responsibilities of the Clerk’s Office include:

Providing public access to Superior Court records

Keeping the official docket for Superior Court cases

Attending court sessions to record actions taken by the court

Receiving, distributing, and preserving official court documents

Accepting filings in:
Civil and tax matters
Criminal cases
Probate cases
Family court matters (like divorce or child support)
Juvenile court matters
Mental health cases

Collecting and disbursing:
Court-ordered fees
Fines
Victim restitution

Storing exhibits for all court cases

Issuing and recording marriage licenses

Processing passport applications

Providing family support services related to child support and payments

Many of the services you might normally expect to require a trip to the courthouse can be started or handled through the Clerk’s website or at regional service centers around the county.

Start online at the Clerk of Superior Court website

When you’re not sure where to begin, the best first stop is the official Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court website at Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court. From there, you can get to:

“I Want To…” tools for common tasks
Details on services and filings
Records and minute entries
Forms and instructions
Office hours, locations, and contact options

The site is laid out around how people actually use the court, with quick links for things like applying for passports, finding cases, and getting court forms.

Use the “I Want To…” section to handle everyday court tasks

A major shortcut on the site is the “I Want To…” menu, which groups common actions in plain language. You can go there directly at the I Want To online tools page:
I Want To online tools

Here are some of the key options and how they help you:

Apply for a fee deferral or waiver

Court filing fees can be significant. If you can’t afford them, you may be able to ask the court to:

Postpone the fees (deferral), or
Waive the fees entirely (waiver), depending on your situation

The “Apply for a Fee Deferral or Waiver” link takes you to information and an online portal where you can submit your application before filing your documents. This is especially important if you plan to eFile, because you’ll want your fee deferral or waiver request submitted through the Clerk’s site before you attempt to file electronically.

Apply for a passport

The Clerk’s Office is one of the places in Maricopa County where you can:

Submit a passport application
Schedule an appointment at specific locations
Get details on where and when passport services are offered

Passport services are handled in person, but you can use the website to confirm requirements and locations before you go.

Get a marriage license

The Clerk issues and records marriage licenses, and the site walks you through:

Basic eligibility information
License issuance and recording
Locations where you can obtain a license
Connection to marriage license copies if you later need proof

You can follow links from the “I Want To…” area or from the marriage section of the Records menu to reach the marriage license pages.

File a document with the court

If you are filing a case or submitting documents in an existing case, the “File a Document” option leads you to filing information, including:

Where to file (Downtown or regional centers)
Types of filings the Clerk accepts
Links to filing fees and deposit boxes for certain case types

You can file in person at the appropriate filing counter, and in many civil, family, tax, and probate matters you may be able to file electronically.

Find a case and review minute entries

The “Find a Case” and “Look at Minute Entries” options help you:

Locate case information
Review court actions taken in your case
Understand the history of what’s happened so far

For many users, this is the fastest way to double-check upcoming hearings, prior rulings, or whether a filing has been docketed.

Get court forms and find court locations

Other frequently used options include:

“Find a Court Form” – to locate forms you may need to start a case or respond in an existing one

“Find a Court Location” – to make sure you go to the right building for your matter

Together with the “Office Hours & Locations” information, these tools help you plan your visit and avoid unnecessary trips.

Explore services through the Clerk’s Services hub

If you’d rather browse by category instead of by task, the Services section on the website groups offerings logically—address changes, appeals, collections, eFiling, exhibits, family-related services, payments, and more. You can reach that menu at:
Clerk of Superior Court services

Some of the most useful service categories include:

Address Changes – for attorneys and parties who need to update mailing information
Appeals – information about appealing Superior Court decisions
County Collections Unit – for managing outstanding court-ordered payments
Deferral and Waiver of Court Fees – online fee deferral/waiver tools
eFiling Information – guidance and links for electronic filing
Family Matters – adoptions, child support services, payments, and related processes
Filing Information – how and where to file for different case types
Make an Appointment – scheduling for certain services
Make a Payment – options for paying criminal fines, fees, and support

Each of these service pages explains what the Clerk’s Office does for that area and often links to forms, FAQs, or related resources.

File court documents: understand filing information before you submit

Whether you’re represented by an attorney or representing yourself, knowing where and how to file is critical. The Filing Information section of the site lays out the basics for different case types and points to more detailed subpages. You can go directly there at:
Filing information for court documents

From there you’ll find links and guidance covering:

Civil and tax filing
Criminal filing
Family filing
Probate filing
Juvenile filing
Filing depository boxes (for certain types of drop-off filings)
Juvenile filing depository boxes

The filing pages help you:

Confirm which location accepts which type of case
Check filing fee information through the dedicated filing fees page
Learn when you can use deposit boxes versus filing in person

If you’re appealing a Superior Court decision, the Appeals service page explains that appeals from Superior Court can be filed at filing counters in:

Downtown Phoenix (Central Court Complex, 201 W. Jefferson)
Mesa
Northeast Phoenix
Northwest Surprise

Office hours for these filing counters are generally 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Appeals page also clarifies transmission timelines to the appellate courts and points you to fee information.

Use eFiling to streamline how you work with the Clerk’s Office

For many civil, family, tax, probate, criminal, and juvenile matters, electronic filing is available and in some situations required for attorneys. The eFiling Information page serves as a central guidance hub for electronic filing rules, training, and tools:
eFiling information for Maricopa County Superior Court cases

From that page, you can:

See which case types are eligible for eFiling

Review who can eFile:
Attorneys
Self-represented litigants (optional)
Out-of-state attorneys admitted pro hac vice

Access instructions and training offered through the Arizona Judicial Branch

Learn about common reasons why eFiled documents get returned as deficient, such as:
Missing or incorrect case numbers
Documents not in proper pleading format
Exhibits uploaded as the main document
Missing party or caption information
Missing signature or fee payment

The site also explains that there is a separate eFiling Online Portal for criminal and juvenile matters that is managed by the Clerk’s Office. Links from the eFiling page take you to that portal and additional guidelines, along with support contact information for both state-level eFiling support and Clerk-managed eFile support.

If you plan to submit a fee waiver or deferral with your eFiling, the instructions remind you to use the Clerk’s Deferral and Waiver of Court Fees Online Portal first and then follow specific directions for eFiling with a waiver or deferral in place.

Manage family and juvenile matters with Clerk of Superior Court services

Family and juvenile matters can be especially stressful, and the Clerk’s Office plays a key role in handling the paperwork and payment side of those cases. The Family Matters section of the site centralizes information about several important areas and can be accessed here:
Family Matters services

Through Family Matters and its subpages, you can connect to:

Automated Banking – for setting up direct deposits or electronic pay cards for support payments

Income Withholding Orders – including information for employers and frequently asked questions

Child Support Services – such as arrearage calculations and payment history requests

Child Support Payments – which include payment methods, support FAQs, and purge payment information

Juvenile Court – with links to adoptions and vacating juvenile monetary obligations

The Family Matters pages explain that the Clerk’s Office:

Handles the documentation and processing of juvenile matters connected to child support payments

Processes paperwork for adoptions, dependency matters, guardianship, and emancipation

Provides tools to keep payment accounts and addresses current

While the Clerk’s Office cannot provide legal advice, the website links to legal information and resources related to self-represented litigants and victim resources so you can better understand process and options.

Access marriage licenses and passports through the Clerk’s Office

If you’re planning a wedding or need to travel internationally, the Clerk of Superior Court is a central stop for:

Marriage licenses – issuance and recording
Passports – acceptance of passport applications at specific locations

The website organizes these under one umbrella so you can easily jump to the specific service you need:
Marriage licenses and passports information

From there, you can click into:

Detailed pages on marriage licenses, including:
Steps to obtain a license
Links to marriage license copies if you need proof later
Locations and hours for marriage license services

Detailed pages on passports, including:
Passport forms
Passport fees
Locations and hours for passport services

In practice, you will usually:

Review the requirements and fees online
Use the appointment system (where available) to pick a location and time
Arrive with required identification and completed forms

Some locations, especially the Customer Service Center and regional centers, handle both marriage license and passport appointments, which can be convenient if you need both services.

Save time by scheduling an appointment at a Clerk of Superior Court location

While some services can be handled on a walk-in basis, the Clerk strongly encourages using appointments where available. Appointments are offered for:

Marriage licenses
Passports
Non-criminal adult filing counter services
Certain payment services

You can schedule many of these through the Make an Appointment page:
Make an appointment with the Clerk of Superior Court

According to the official information, you can make appointments at:

Downtown File Counter – Central Court Complex
201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003

Southeast Regional Center
222 E. Javelina Dr., Mesa, AZ 85210

Northeast Regional Center
18380 N. 40th St., Phoenix, AZ 85032

Northwest Regional Center
14264 W. Tierra Buena Ln., Surprise, AZ 85374

For marriage licenses and passports, appointments are available at:

Customer Service Center – Downtown
601 W. Jackson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003

Northeast Regional Center – Phoenix

Northwest Regional Center – Surprise

Southeast Regional Center – Mesa

When you schedule, you’ll receive a confirmation with a QR code. The Clerk asks that you:

Check in using the QR code on paper or on your phone when you arrive
Have all your required forms completed before checking in

Appointments are honored ahead of walk-in customers, which can significantly cut down your time waiting in line.

Keep your address and contact information current with the court

If you are a party to a case or an attorney of record, it is your responsibility to keep your address updated so the court and other parties can reach you. The Clerk of Superior Court provides:

An Attorney Address Change Form for attorneys
A Party/Litigant Address Change Form for self-represented parties

These forms can be completed online through the Address Changes service. The Address Changes page explains that:

You can update your information by completing an online form

If your address is currently ordered to be protected, you must go in person to a Clerk of the Court facility to request any change

This in-person requirement helps protect individuals whose address is ordered to be confidential, such as in some family or victim-related situations.

Keeping your address current is especially important if:

You are involved in an ongoing case
You receive child support or make support payments
You expect notices about hearings, orders, or deadlines

If address information is out of date, you may miss critical court communications.

Find and access court records, minute entries, and public records

The Clerk of Superior Court is the keeper of Superior Court records. Through the Records section of the website, you can:

Look up case information
Review minute entries
Submit public records requests
Access electronic court records (ECR) where available
Request marriage license copies

For many users, the most important starting point is the case lookup tool. That specific function is located at:
Find a case in Maricopa County Superior Court

From there, you can:

Search for case information based on case number or party name
See basic case details and history
Confirm what’s happening in the case

Other Records links, such as “Minute Entries” or the e-Access and ECR pages, explain how to review specific types of case documents or how to submit requests for public records.

If you need copies of documents, the Obtaining Records pages walk you through:

What types of copies are available
How to request certified vs. non-certified copies
Fees associated with records requests

Make payments for criminal fines, fees, bonds, and support

The Clerk of Superior Court collects and disburses court-ordered money in many case types. From the Services and “I Want To” sections, you can reach:

Make a Payment – for criminal fines and fees
Make a Payment for a Bond – trust and bond matters
Support Payments – connected to family support matters
County Collections Unit – for managing payment agreements and outstanding amounts

The payment pages explain:

Which kinds of payments can be made online
When you must appear in person
How to contact the County Collections Unit if you have questions about your obligations

For support payments, the Family Matters subpages tie together:

Payment history requests

Automated banking options

Support FAQs

Information about payment transitions involving the state’s Division of Child Support Services

Because the Clerk’s Office is responsible for both collecting and disbursing these funds, it is important to follow the instructions on the payment pages closely and keep your contact information current.

Get help, legal information, and accommodations

While the Clerk’s Office cannot give legal advice, the site includes links and information to help you better understand court procedures and find resources. Examples include:

Legal Information pages explaining the difference between legal advice and legal information

Self-Represented Litigants resources, including court forms and instructions

Victim Resources information

Accessibility, accommodations, and grievance procedures pages

Language services information

If you have questions about access, language, or disability accommodations, the site directs you to procedures and contact details under the “Contact Us” and “About” sections so you can request appropriate support for your court business.

For general questions about Clerk services, the Contact Us page provides ways to reach the office:
Contact the Clerk of Superior Court

You can also call the main phone number for recorded information after hours.

Where to go: Clerk of Superior Court departments and offices

Below is a list of key Clerk of Superior Court departments and offices mentioned in the official information, along with their addresses and phone number where available. Contact details are only listed where they appear in the official content.

Clerk of the Superior Court – Main Office
620 West Jackson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: (602) 372-5375 or (602) 37-CLERK

Downtown File Counter – Central Court Complex
201 W. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003

Southeast Regional Center – Filing and Customer Services
222 E. Javelina Drive, Mesa, AZ 85210

Northeast Regional Center – Filing and Customer Services
18380 N. 40th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85032

Northwest Regional Center – Filing and Customer Services
14264 W. Tierra Buena Lane, Surprise, AZ 85374

Customer Service Center – Downtown (Marriage Licenses and Passports)
601 W. Jackson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003

Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court FAQs

How do I update my address or name on court records?

If you’ve moved or changed your name, you’re expected to update the court’s records so notices and orders go to the right place. The Clerk provides separate online forms for attorneys and for parties/litigants on the Address Changes page. If your address is court-ordered to be protected, you must request the change in person at a Clerk facility. Start by reviewing the instructions and forms on the official Address Changes page.

Where can I get official information and forms for filing an appeal?

Appeals from Superior Court rulings are time-sensitive and have specific formatting and filing rules. The Clerk’s site explains what gets transmitted to the appellate court and when, but step-by-step guidance, FAQs, and forms for self-represented parties are provided by the Arizona Judicial Branch. For official instructions, check the Arizona courts’ appeals guides and forms and then follow the Clerk’s filing requirements for your case type.

How do I schedule an appointment instead of waiting in line?

The Clerk allows appointments for many in-person services, including non-criminal adult filing counters, payments, marriage licenses, and passports. When you book through the online system, you’ll receive a confirmation with a QR code to check in at the kiosk when you arrive. Appointments are served before walk-ins, but you’re expected to arrive with all required forms completed. You can schedule or manage timeslots using the Make an Appointment portal at Make an Appointment.

What should I know before eFiling documents with the Clerk?

In many civil, tax, family, probate, criminal, and juvenile matters, documents can be submitted electronically instead of on paper. Attorneys are generally required to eFile in certain case types, while self-represented litigants may have the option to do so. The Clerk and Arizona Judicial Branch provide training links, administrative orders, and common-error checklists so your filings aren’t rejected. Before submitting anything, review the official eFiling Information section at eFiling Information.

How do I get a marriage license or passport through the Clerk’s Office?

The Clerk issues and records marriage licenses and also accepts U.S. passport applications at designated locations. Some services may require an appointment, and you’ll need to bring specific identification and supporting documents, as well as pay the applicable fees. The Clerk’s website separates requirements, locations, and online options for each service so you can prepare in advance. For current details, use the official Marriage Licenses & Passports hub.