Court Records

When you need to look up a case, confirm what happened at a hearing, or get a certified copy of a court order in Maricopa County, the process can feel confusing at first. This guide walks you through how Maricopa County AZ court records are created, where they are stored, and the different ways you can access them. You’ll see how to search cases online, how to view minute entries, what to do if you’re a party to a case, how to request certified copies, and when you might need to visit a Clerk’s Office in person.

Understand How Maricopa County Court Records Are Kept and Managed

Before you start searching, it helps to know who actually handles court records in Maricopa County and what those records include.

The Clerk of the Superior Court is the official record keeper for the Maricopa County Superior Court. According to the Clerk’s Office, its primary responsibilities include:

Keeping and maintaining dockets
Recording each Superior Court session
Preserving official court documents

Any time a document is filed in a Superior Court case, it is routed through the Clerk of Superior Court and becomes part of the official court record for that case, unless it is sealed or made confidential by law.

What “court records” usually include

Depending on the case type, Maricopa County court records can include:

Civil case filings (complaints, answers, motions, orders, judgments)
Criminal case filings (indictments, plea agreements, sentencings)
Family court filings (divorce, child custody, child support orders)
Probate records (wills filed with the court, guardianship or conservatorship orders)
Minute entries summarizing hearings
Tax court records

Some of these documents are available to the public, and some are limited to the parties, attorneys, or specific agencies. Access rules are governed by Arizona law and court rules, including Rule 123 of the Arizona Rules of the Supreme Court, which sets out what is public, what can be restricted, and what may be sealed.

Find Case Information Online Through the Public Docket

If you simply want to see whether a case exists, check what has happened in a case, or view basic case details, your first stop is usually the public docket on the Judicial Branch’s website.

You can reach the public Docket: Public Access to Court Information portal for Maricopa County through the Judicial Branch of Arizona site at the case search and docket home page:
Public docket and case search for Maricopa County.

What you can see on the public docket

Through the docket site, you can look up:

Civil court cases
Criminal court cases
Family court cases
Probate court cases

For each case, you can typically see:

Case number
Party names
Case type (civil, criminal, family, probate)
List of docket entries (filings, hearings, orders)
Dates of key events

The docket is extremely useful if you need to:

Confirm that a case has been filed
Check when a hearing occurred or is scheduled
See whether a judgment or order has been entered

Search tips for the docket site

When using the docket site for Maricopa County AZ court records:

Use the full case number if you have it. That’s usually the fastest and most accurate way to find the right file.

Searching by name may return several results, especially for common names. Narrow your search by including a middle initial or an approximate filing year if those options are available.

Double-check spelling. Name searches are sensitive to spelling differences.

Remember the time lag. The site notes that audit processes can cause changes or additions to appear with a delay of up to around 24 hours after data is added to the docket.

Online availability may also be limited briefly during routinely scheduled maintenance windows, which are usually noted on the site.

Use Minute Entries to Track Hearings and Courtroom Activity

A “minute entry” is the court’s official written record of what happened at a particular hearing or proceeding. In many situations, if you want to know what the judge ordered, a minute entry is where you’ll find it.

The Clerk of Superior Court provides a dedicated Minute Entries web portal where you can view many minute entries online:
Maricopa County minute entries portal.

When minute entries are helpful

Minute entries are especially useful if you need to:

Confirm what the judge ruled at a recent hearing
Verify whether a hearing actually occurred
See whether a hearing was continued, vacated, or rescheduled
Track the progress of a case without requesting full case documents

For some criminal matters and certain other case types, only limited minute entries may be publicly available, and some entries can be restricted due to confidentiality rules.

Start at the Clerk’s Records Page for Full Court Documents

While the docket and minute entries give a good high-level view of a case, you may eventually need actual copies of documents—such as a divorce decree, sentencing order, or judgment. The main hub for records maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court is the Records section of the Clerk’s site:

Visit the Clerk of Superior Court records page for an overview of available options:
Clerk of Superior Court records page.

From there, you can get to:

Information on obtaining records
Electronic Court Records (ECR) for parties to a case
Links to statewide eAccess for public document access
Minute entries and case history resources

This is the starting point if you’re looking for Maricopa County AZ court records beyond basic docket information.

Access Case Documents Online If You Are a Party: ECR Online

If you are a party to a case (or you are the attorney for a party), you may be able to access more detailed electronic records than the general public through ECR Online.

You can log in at:
ECR Online for parties to a case.

What ECR Online is designed for

ECR Online is the Clerk’s portal for registered users who are parties to a case. It provides online access to documents filed in:

Family court cases
Probate cases
Civil cases
Criminal cases
Tax court cases

Key points to know:

Registration is required. You’ll need to set up and use login credentials, and your access is tied to specific cases where you are a party (or attorney).

Not all documents are viewable. Some items may be sealed, restricted, or confidential and will not be available even through ECR.

Access can differ by role. A party’s view of a case may differ from that of an attorney or from what is publicly available.

ECR is often the quickest way for parties to retrieve filed documents without making an in-person trip, especially if you are following an active case.

Use Statewide eAccess for Public Online Document Copies

For members of the public—including litigants, attorneys, the media, and others—the Arizona Supreme Court provides eAccess, a statewide online portal that offers 24/7 access to many case records and documents that are open to the public.

You can learn more about how subscriptions and access work on the official eAccess webpage:
Arizona eAccess information and subscriptions.

What eAccess offers

Through eAccess, you can:

Obtain copies of certain court documents for a fee
Access records that are not sealed or confidential
Use a single portal for multiple Arizona courts that participate in the eAccess system

This is especially useful if you:

Need printed copies of orders, judgments, or other filings
Are outside the county and cannot easily visit a Clerk location
Want more than just the basic docket summary

Remember, even eAccess is governed by the same rules around sealed and confidential records; not everything in a case file will necessarily be available online.

Request Certified Copies and Complex Record Searches

Sometimes you don’t just need a copy—you need a certified copy, or you have a more complex records request that involves several cases or older files. In those situations, the Clerk’s Obtaining Records page is your key resource.

You can start at:
Obtaining records through the Clerk of Superior Court.

When to use the records request process

Use the records request options provided by the Clerk if:

You cannot locate the record using ECR, eAccess, or the public docket

You need a certified copy of a court document or a recorded marriage license

You have a multi-part or older records request that cannot be handled through simple online viewing

The Clerk’s materials explain that:

Copy fees are charged per page. The posted amount is $0.50 per page.

Certification fees apply when you need an official certified copy, and there is a separate fee for certification. The listed amount is $35.00 to certify any document.

Research fees may be charged depending on the amount of research required by staff to fulfill your request.

If you are using a copy for legal or official purposes—for example, providing a divorce decree to another court or agency—it is wise to confirm ahead of time whether a certified copy is specifically required.

Visit Clerk Offices in Person for Copies and In-Person Viewing

Not all record needs can be handled online. You can still visit Clerk of Superior Court locations in person to request copies and review public records.

According to the Clerk’s office information:

Public record copies may be obtained in person during regular business hours.

Payments in person can be made by money order, debit card, credit card, or cash. Personal checks are not accepted.

Copy fees and certification fees are the same whether you request them in person or through other methods.

No-charge inspection of records

The Clerk’s office also offers no-charge inspection of public records at several locations during regular business hours. At those locations, you may:

Use public access computers to view many public court records electronically

Review available case documents without paying copy fees, as long as you are only viewing and not requesting printed copies

This free inspection option is especially helpful if you want to check whether a particular document is what you need before paying for a certified or paper copy.

Know What Maricopa County Court Records Are Restricted or Confidential

While many Maricopa County AZ court records are open to the public, others are not. Access is limited by law and court rules.

Types of records that may be restricted

Records that can be closed, sealed, or confidential include, for example:

Certain juvenile court records
Adoption records
Some mental health proceedings
Records specifically sealed by court order
Certain victim-related information or sensitive personal data

These limitations come from laws and rules such as Rule 123, Arizona Rules of the Supreme Court, which governs public access to court records.

What this means for your search

Even if you know a case exists, you may:

See basic case information (case number, party initials, or limited details) but not be able to view all documents

Be told that certain records cannot be reproduced or inspected

Need to follow special procedures if you are legally entitled to access a confidential file

If you have questions about whether a specific record should be publicly available, you can contact the Clerk of Superior Court or the court’s information center for guidance on the proper process.

Understand How Juvenile Court Records Are Treated

Juvenile cases (such as delinquency, dependency, and some custody-related matters) often have different access rules than adult cases.

The Clerk’s site provides information specifically on juvenile court matters at:
Juvenile court and related records information.

From there, you can learn more about:

What parts of juvenile records may be open or closed
How to handle filings and records in juvenile cases
Where to go for additional help in juvenile matters

Because confidentiality protections are especially strong in juvenile cases, you should expect that you may not be able to see the same level of detail that you would in a standard adult civil or criminal case.

Use the Law Library Resource Center for Help Navigating Court Records

If you are representing yourself or simply need help understanding what a particular record means, you may benefit from the Law Library Resource Center (LLRC) provided by the Judicial Branch.

You can explore LLRC resources at:
Law Library Resource Center online.

The LLRC offers:

Court forms for civil, criminal, family, juvenile, and probate matters
Guides related to self-representation
Information on how to conduct legal research and better understand court processes

While the LLRC does not provide legal advice, it can help you make sense of terms you see in docket entries or minute entries and show you where to go next.

Practical Tips for Working With Maricopa County Court Records

To make your search for Maricopa County AZ court records as smooth as possible, keep these practical tips in mind:

Gather key details before you search

You’ll get better results if you have:

The full legal name of at least one party
The case number, if you have it
An approximate year or date range when the case was filed or active
The general case type (civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile)

Start with the public docket for a quick overview

The docket site is the fastest way to confirm that a case exists and see recent activity. Use it to:

Confirm hearing dates
Check for newly scheduled events
See whether a judgment or order has been entered

Once you confirm the case on the docket, you can decide whether you need full documents via the Clerk’s records options or eAccess.

Use minute entries when you need to know “what happened”

If your main question is what the judge actually ordered or what occurred at a particular hearing, minute entries are often the best first stop. They summarize courtroom proceedings in plain language, including:

Motions ruled on
Hearings continued or vacated
Interim and final orders issued

If you later need an official certified copy of a specific order, you can then request it through the Clerk.

Understand that online information has limits

Every online system involved in Maricopa County court records includes disclaimers. In general, they explain that:

The information is recorded with an understanding that it is true and correct as to documents physically filed with the Clerk.

Auditing and updates can cause entries to change after initial posting.

The Clerk and the Superior Court cannot be held liable for damages arising from use or inability to use online services.

For legally critical purposes, the file-stamped original document or a certified copy from the Clerk is what ultimately controls. Treat online docket entries as helpful, but not as a substitute for official certified documents when those are required.

Ask for help when you are unsure

If you’re stuck—say you can’t locate a case you’re sure exists, or you’re not sure which record you actually need—it is reasonable to:

Contact the Clerk of Superior Court for guidance on record requests

Call the court’s information center to confirm which site or portal to use for your particular question

Visit a Clerk location or the Law Library Resource Center during business hours for in-person assistance

You won’t receive legal advice, but staff can often point you toward the correct resource or process for the type of record you’re trying to obtain.

Departments and Offices Handling Maricopa County Court Records

Maricopa County Clerk of Superior Court – Records
Address: 620 West Jackson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: (602) 372-5375 or (602) 37-CLERK

Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County – Information Center
Address: 201 W. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: (602) 506-3204

Maricopa County Court Records FAQs

How do I quickly look up a Superior Court case online?

For most Superior Court cases in Maricopa County, you can start with the court’s public case search. The Judicial Branch’s Public Access to Court Information site lets you look up civil, criminal, family, and probate cases by name or case number and view basic docket details, upcoming hearings, and case status. Use the court’s main case search page at the Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County: case search page.

Where can I view minute entries and case history details?

If you need to see minute entries (the official written record of what happened in a hearing), Maricopa County provides a dedicated Minute Entries web portal where many civil, criminal, tax, and family minute entries can be viewed online: Minute Entries web portal. For a broader picture of the case timeline, the Superior Court’s docket web page shows case history information, even if the underlying documents are not viewable online.

How do I request copies or certified copies of court records?

When you can’t find what you need online, or you need certified copies, the Clerk of Superior Court directs you to submit an online records request. This is used for certified court documents, recorded marriage licenses, or more complex requests where staff research is needed. You can start that process using the Clerk’s official online records request form: online records request form. Copy fees and certification fees apply, and research fees may be charged depending on how much staff time is required.

What are ECR Online and eAccess, and when should I use them?

If you are a party to a case, ECR Online provides secure access to many family, probate, civil, criminal, tax, and juvenile documents tied to your case once you’re registered: ECR Online. For broader public access to unrestricted case documents across Arizona, the statewide eAccess portal offers 24/7 online access for a fee, as linked from the Clerk’s e-Access information page on the Clerk’s official site.