Maricopa County Clerk of Court

About the Clerk of the Superior Court

Joseph W. Malka serves as the Clerk of the Superior Court in Maricopa County. The Clerk is an elected county officer who runs an office of staff that handles filings, court records, and fee collection for every Superior Court case in the county. The role is constitutional. The Clerk reports to the voters, not to the bench.

The Clerk's job is to keep the case file. Every motion, order, exhibit, and minute entry filed in Superior Court flows through the Clerk's office. Staff date stamp the filing, log it in the case management system, route it to the assigned judge, and store the official copy. The Clerk also issues writs, subpoenas, and other process when a party asks for one. Marriage license services, passport acceptance, and child support payment intake fall under the same office.

Office Responsibilities in Maricopa County

The Clerk of the Superior Court is the legal record keeper for all Maricopa County Superior Court cases. That covers civil, family, probate, juvenile, criminal, mental health, and tax court divisions. Staff accept filings at the counter, by mail, and through the eFiling portal. Each case file is built and kept by the Clerk for the life of the matter and beyond.

• Accept and date-stamp pleadings for Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Juvenile, and Tax filings.
• Issue certified and plain copies of court documents and minute entries.
• Process marriage licenses, including the standard and covenant forms.
• Run passport acceptance services and US Department of State photo intake.
• Collect filing fees, certification fees, and court-ordered restitution.
• Take in evidence and exhibits at trial and store them per court rules.
• Receive and disburse child support payments through the Support Payment Clearinghouse.

The split between courts matters. The Clerk holds Superior Court files only. For a case heard in a Justice Court precinct, the precinct itself is the record keeper. For a city case, the municipal court holds the file. For jail records and warrants, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is the source. State criminal history checks run through the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

How to Request Maricopa County Court Records

The Clerk's "Obtaining Records" page lays out the main paths. Free options come first. ECR Online and the public access terminals at any Clerk site let people look at most files at no cost. Copies and certifications carry fees set by the Arizona Supreme Court fee schedule. Mail requests are slower but work for people who cannot get to a Clerk site.

For a simple case lookup, the docket pages on the Clerk's site allow search by name or case number. Docket entries are free to view. Documents themselves are not on the public docket pages. To get the actual document, the requester needs ECR Online, the statewide eAccess portal, an in-person visit, or a written request through the Online Records Request Form.

• ECR Online: Registered users who are parties to a case can pull documents in Family, Civil, Criminal, Probate, and Tax matters.
• Minute Entries portal: Online access to civil, criminal (limited), and tax court minute entries.
• eAccess: Arizona Supreme Court portal for unrestricted public case documents, with a per-document fee.
• Online Records Request Form: For records not found by other means, for certified copies, and for complex requests.
• In person: Counter service and public terminals at four Clerk locations during business hours.
• Free inspection: Public access computers at any Clerk site let people view case files at no charge.

The justice court process differs. For those cases, the Maricopa County Justice Courts publish a separate access to records guide. The Clerk does not handle precinct files.

Justice Court access rules are posted in a public PDF on the Maricopa County Justice Courts site at justicecourts.maricopa.gov access-to-court-records.pdf, which spells out who can pull which file and what redactions apply.

That guide is the right starting point for any precinct-level case where the Clerk of Superior Court is not the record holder.

Certified vs Plain Copies

People often ask for the wrong type of copy. A plain copy is fine to read and to share. A certified copy carries the Clerk's seal and signature and is required for legal use. Banks, title companies, federal benefit programs, and immigration filings all need certified copies. A plain copy will be rejected.

The Clerk also offers e-certified court documents and e-certified marriage licenses. The e-certified version carries a digital signature that can be verified online. One caveat. The Social Security Administration does not accept the e-certified marriage license. For SSA business, ask for the paper copy with the raised seal.

How to Request a Certified Copy

The certified copy process runs through the Clerk's office at any of the four public locations or through the Online Records Request Form. Most people use the in-person route because it is faster. The mail route works for out-of-state requesters.

1. Find the case number. Use the Superior Court docket search on the Clerk's site. Search by party name or case number. Write down the case number and the document name needed.
2. Pick the right copy type. Choose plain, certified, e-certified, or exemplified based on where the copy will be used. Banks and federal agencies need certified or exemplified copies.
3. Visit a Clerk location or use the online form. Bring photo ID. Tell the counter clerk the case number, the document, and the copy type. For complex requests, fill out the Online Records Request Form.
4. Pay the fee. Plain copies run $0.50 per page. Certification adds $35.00 per document. Exemplification adds $70.00. Authentication adds $105.00. In person, the Clerk accepts cash, debit, credit, and money order. No personal checks.
5. Pick up or wait for mail. In-person copies are usually handed over the same day. Mail copies ship after payment clears. Complex requests with research can take longer.

Maricopa County Clerk Fee Schedule

Clerk fees are set under Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123 and the Clerk's adopted fee schedule. The current schedule covers copies, certifications, marriage license services, electronic delivery, and research time. Statewide rates are published in the official Rule 123 PDF and the Clerk's miscellaneous fee PDF.

The Clerk posts a miscellaneous fee schedule at clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov miscellaneous fee PDF, which lists the dollar figures used at the counter. The fees below are pulled from that schedule and apply at every Clerk location across Maricopa County.

The full statewide rule, Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123, is the source for these numbers and is posted at clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov Rule 123 PDF. Rule 123 also governs access rules, fee waivers for indigent requesters, and what the Clerk may charge for bulk data.

Records Request Form Fields

The Online Records Request Form is the right tool when other paths do not work. It collects the case details, the copy type, the delivery method, and payment. The static page does not show every field, but the request process gates the form on a few core items.

Free docket searches by name or case number do not require this form. They also do not return copies of documents. A formal request is needed once a copy is in scope.

ECR Online and Electronic Court Records

Electronic Court Records, or ECR, is the system used to view documents in a Superior Court case. ECR Online is the parties-only version. A litigant who registers and proves party status can pull pleadings, orders, and minute entries in their own Family, Civil, Criminal, Probate, or Tax case at no charge. The portal is restricted because some case types include sealed or confidential content.

For non-parties, the route is different. The Arizona Supreme Court runs eAccess as the statewide public records portal. eAccess offers 24-hour access to unrestricted public case records and documents. Case documents are available for a per-document fee. Public docket pages on the Clerk's site allow free name and case-number lookups but stop short of releasing documents.

The Minute Entries portal sits in the middle. It offers civil, criminal (limited), and tax minute entries to the public, without a party login. The Press portal serves credentialed media. The Gila River and Little Colorado River case docket pages cover the special-purpose adjudications run out of Maricopa County Superior Court.

Marriage License Services

The Clerk issues marriage licenses for any couple planning to marry in Arizona. Either applicant can apply. Both must appear at a Clerk site with photo ID. The standard license is $98.00. The covenant marriage license is also $98.00. Conversion of a standard license to a covenant license is $35.00.

The Clerk's marriage application asks for legal name, current address, date of birth, age, Social Security number, and a contact address after the marriage. The form is filled in black ink only. Social Security numbers go only to the Department of Economic Security for child support enforcement and are not released without written consent. Per Arizona Revised Statutes § 25-121, the SSN field is required unless the applicant signs the no-SSN checkbox.

Online payment for marriage licenses uses Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. Certified copies of a recorded marriage license run $35.00 plus $0.50 per page. More on family files lives on the marriage and divorce records page.

In-Person Locations and Hours

The Clerk runs four public counter locations across Maricopa County. All four are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, except court holidays. Each location has public access terminals for free file inspection plus counter staff for copies, certifications, and marriage licenses.

• Customer Service Center: 601 W Jackson, Phoenix, AZ 85003.
• Northwest Regional Court Center: 14264 W Tierra Buena Lane, Surprise, AZ 85374.
• Southeast Court Complex: 222 E Javelina Ave., Mesa, AZ 85210.
• Northeast Regional Court Center: 18380 N 40th St., Suite 120, Phoenix, AZ 85032.

The main mailing address for the Clerk's office is 620 West Jackson Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003. The general phone is 602-372-5375, also dialed as 602-37-CLERK. People who do not need certified material may often save a trip by using the free public terminals at the nearest site instead of mailing or driving across the valley.

Mail Requests

Mail works for people who cannot visit a Clerk site. Send a written request to the Customer Service Center at 601 W Jackson, Phoenix, AZ 85003. Include the case number, party names, document description, copy type (plain, certified, e-certified, or exemplified), number of copies, and a return mailing address. A daytime phone number helps if staff need to clarify the request.

Payment by mail must be a money order. Personal checks are not accepted at the counter or by mail. Add the right copy fee, the $35.00 certification fee per document when needed, and a research fee of $35.00 per year or source when the file is older or harder to locate. The Clerk holds the request until payment clears, so include payment with the letter to avoid delay.

For broader open records requests under Arizona public records law, see the public records page. For full case files and docket entries beyond Clerk copies, see court records and court dockets. For probate-only files, see probate records.

Related Maricopa County Resources

For full court files, see court records. For probate, see probate records. For broader public records, see public records. For judge assignments and divisions, see superior court. Common questions and answers are on the FAQ page.