Yavapai County Court Records
What Is Yavapai County Court Records
Court records in Yavapai County encompass all official documentation generated during legal proceedings within the county's jurisdiction. These records consist of case files, dockets, pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, transcripts, exhibits, and sentencing records maintained by the courts. Pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-284, court records are defined as "all papers, documents, or instruments required by law to be filed with the clerk of the superior court and all documents or instruments filed in an action before the court."
Court records differ from other public records such as property records (deeds, mortgages, liens) and vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates), which are typically maintained by the county recorder's office rather than the courts. In Yavapai County, court records are maintained by several courts within the county's judicial system:
- Superior Court of Arizona in Yavapai County
- Yavapai County Justice Courts
- Municipal Courts within Yavapai County
- Yavapai-Apache Tribal Court (sovereign tribal jurisdiction)
These courts handle various types of cases including civil litigation, criminal proceedings, family law matters, probate cases, traffic violations, and small claims. The Yavapai County Superior Court serves as the court of general jurisdiction, while justice courts and municipal courts handle limited jurisdiction matters.
Are Court Records Public In Yavapai County
Court records in Yavapai County are generally accessible to the public in accordance with Arizona's Public Records Law (A.R.S. § 39-121), which states that "public records and other matters in the custody of any officer shall be open to inspection by any person at all times during office hours." Additionally, the Arizona Supreme Court has established Rule 123 of the Rules of the Supreme Court of Arizona, which governs public access to court records.
Records that are typically available to the public include:
- Most civil case files
- Criminal case files (post-charging)
- Judgments and orders
- Docket sheets
- Hearing schedules
- Court calendars
However, certain records may be restricted or sealed by court order or statute. These commonly include:
- Juvenile records (with exceptions)
- Adoption proceedings
- Mental health proceedings
- Certain family court matters
- Cases involving minors as victims
- Grand jury proceedings
- Records sealed by judicial order
It is important to note that federal court records for cases heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona are governed by federal rules and accessed through the federal PACER system, not through Yavapai County systems.
How To Find Court Records in Yavapai County in 2026
Members of the public seeking court records in Yavapai County may utilize several methods to locate and access these documents. The county currently provides multiple avenues for record retrieval:
In-Person Requests:
- Visit the appropriate courthouse where the case was filed
- Complete a records request form at the clerk's office
- Provide case number or party names for record identification
- Pay applicable copy fees (currently $0.50 per page)
- Wait for staff to retrieve the requested documents
Mail Requests:
- Download and complete the records request form from the court website
- Include case information and specific documents needed
- Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope
- Include payment for copy fees (check or money order)
- Mail to the appropriate court clerk's office
Online Access:
- Visit the Arizona Judicial Branch's Public Access to Court Case Information portal
- Register for an account if required
- Search by case number, party name, or attorney
- Access available electronic records
- Pay any applicable online access fees
For Superior Court records, contact:
Yavapai County Superior Court Clerk's Office
120 South Cortez Street
Prescott, AZ 86303
(928) 771-3312
Yavapai County Superior Court
For Justice Court records, contact the specific justice court where the case was filed. Yavapai County has multiple justice courts serving different precincts.
How To Look Up Court Records in Yavapai County Online?
Yavapai County residents and interested parties can access court records through several online portals, each providing different types of case information:
Arizona Judicial Branch Public Access: The Arizona Judicial Branch provides a centralized case lookup system that includes Yavapai County cases. Users can:
- Navigate to the Public Access Case Lookup portal
- Select the court type (Superior, Justice, Municipal)
- Choose Yavapai County from the jurisdiction dropdown
- Enter search criteria (case number, party name, date range)
- Review the case summary information provided
eAccess Portal: For more detailed Superior Court records, the eAccess portal provides:
- Access to civil and criminal case documents filed after July 1, 2010
- Registration requirement for full document access
- Fee-based document retrieval for certain document types
- Case status updates and hearing schedules
Yavapai County Superior Court Website: The Yavapai County Superior Court website offers:
- Court calendars and hearing schedules
- Case status information
- Links to forms and filing instructions
- Contact information for court divisions
Municipal court records must typically be searched through the specific municipal court's website or system, as these are maintained separately from county systems.
How To Search Yavapai County Court Records for Free?
Arizona law provides for free public inspection of court records pursuant to A.R.S. § 39-121, though fees may apply for copies or certified documents. Yavapai County offers several no-cost options for accessing court records:
Free In-Person Inspection:
- Visit the appropriate courthouse during business hours
- Request to view specific case files at the clerk's office
- Present identification if required
- Review documents on-site at no charge
- Pay only if copies are requested
Free Online Resources:
- Basic case information is available at no cost through the Public Access Case Lookup portal
- Case status, party information, and hearing dates are provided without charge
- Court calendars can be viewed online at no cost
- Some municipal courts offer free online docket information
Public Access Terminals:
- Computer terminals are available at courthouse locations for public use
- These terminals provide free access to electronic court records
- No registration is required for on-site terminal use
- Staff assistance is available for terminal users
While basic record searches are free, fees may apply for:
- Printed copies ($0.50 per page)
- Certified copies ($30.00 per document)
- Complete case file reproductions
- Document downloads from certain systems
- Research assistance beyond standard lookups
What's Included in a Yavapai County Court Record?
Yavapai County court records typically contain comprehensive documentation of legal proceedings. The specific contents vary by case type but generally include:
Civil Case Records:
- Complaint or petition initiating the case
- Summons and proof of service
- Defendant's answer or response
- Motions filed by either party
- Court orders and rulings
- Exhibits admitted into evidence
- Transcripts of hearings (if requested)
- Final judgment or dismissal
- Post-judgment filings
Criminal Case Records:
- Charging documents (indictment or information)
- Arrest warrant or summons
- Defendant's plea
- Pretrial motions and rulings
- Evidence logs
- Witness lists
- Jury selection records (if applicable)
- Verdict or plea agreement
- Sentencing documents
- Probation reports (may be restricted)
Family Court Records:
- Petition for dissolution of marriage
- Child custody and support documents
- Parenting plans
- Financial affidavits
- Property settlement agreements
- Temporary orders
- Final decree
Probate Records:
- Will (if applicable)
- Petition for probate
- Inventory of assets
- Creditor claims
- Notices to heirs
- Distribution plans
- Final accounting
Each court record also contains a docket sheet or register of actions that chronologically lists all activities in the case, serving as an index to the complete file.
How Long Does Yavapai County Keep Court Records?
Yavapai County adheres to the Arizona Supreme Court's records retention schedule as mandated by Arizona Supreme Court Rule 29. Retention periods vary significantly based on case type and document importance:
Criminal Case Records:
- Felony cases: 75 years after case closure
- Misdemeanor cases: 10 years after case closure
- Capital/first-degree murder cases: Permanent retention
- Traffic violations: 5 years after case closure
Civil Case Records:
- General civil litigation: 10 years after case closure
- Small claims: 5 years after case closure
- Domestic relations/family court: 75 years after case closure
- Probate matters: 25 years after case closure
- Guardianship/conservatorship: 75 years after termination
Administrative Records:
- Court calendars: 1 year
- Exhibits (unless returned): Same as the associated case file
- Indexes: Permanent retention
- Judgment dockets: 25 years
Certain historically significant cases may be designated for permanent retention regardless of case type. After the retention period expires, records may be:
- Transferred to the Arizona State Archives
- Converted to electronic format for extended preservation
- Destroyed according to approved procedures
Individuals seeking older records should contact the Arizona State Archives if they are no longer maintained by the court.
Types of Courts In Yavapai County
Yavapai County's judicial system consists of several court levels, each with specific jurisdiction and authority:
Yavapai County Superior Court
120 South Cortez Street
Prescott, AZ 86303
(928) 771-3312
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Yavapai County Superior Court
Verde Valley Superior Court
10 South 6th Street
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
(928) 639-8100
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Yavapai County Superior Court
Bagdad-Yarnell Justice Court
100 Main Street
Bagdad, AZ 86321
(928) 633-4451
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Yavapai County Justice Courts
Mayer Justice Court
13150 E. Central Avenue
Mayer, AZ 86333
(928) 632-7342
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Yavapai County Justice Courts
Prescott Justice Court
120 South Cortez Street
Prescott, AZ 86303
(928) 771-3300
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Yavapai County Justice Courts
Verde Valley Justice Court
10 South 6th Street
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
(928) 639-5820
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Yavapai County Justice Courts
Prescott Municipal Court
200 S. Montezuma Street
Prescott, AZ 86303
(928) 777-1770
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Prescott Municipal Court
Cottonwood Municipal Court
824 N. Main Street
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
(928) 634-7537
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Cottonwood Municipal Court
The court hierarchy in Arizona proceeds from limited jurisdiction courts (Justice and Municipal) to general jurisdiction (Superior Court), then to the Arizona Court of Appeals, and finally to the Arizona Supreme Court for cases that qualify for further review.
What Types of Cases Do Yavapai County Courts Hear?
Yavapai County courts adjudicate a wide range of legal matters according to their jurisdictional authority:
Superior Court (General Jurisdiction):
- Felony criminal cases
- Civil cases involving amounts over $10,000
- Family law matters (divorce, child custody, support)
- Probate, guardianship, and conservatorship
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency
- Appeals from limited jurisdiction courts
- Tax cases
- Complex civil litigation
- Real property disputes
- Administrative agency appeals
Justice Courts (Limited Jurisdiction):
- Civil cases involving amounts up to $10,000
- Small claims (up to $3,500)
- Misdemeanor criminal cases
- Traffic violations
- Domestic violence protective orders
- Landlord-tenant disputes (evictions)
- Civil traffic hearings
- Orders of protection and injunctions against harassment
- Preliminary hearings in felony cases
Municipal Courts (Limited Jurisdiction):
- City code violations
- Misdemeanors committed within city limits
- Civil traffic violations within city boundaries
- Parking violations
- City ordinance infractions
- Domestic violence protective orders (city residents)
- Criminal traffic offenses within city limits
Tribal Court (Yavapai-Apache Nation):
- Civil and criminal matters involving tribal members
- Tribal code violations
- Family matters for tribal members
- Juvenile cases involving tribal youth
- Tribal ordinance enforcement
Case assignment is determined by the nature of the alleged offense, the amount in controversy for civil matters, and the geographical location where the incident occurred or where the parties reside.
How To Find a Court Docket In Yavapai County
Court dockets in Yavapai County provide chronological listings of all actions taken in a case and are accessible through several methods:
Online Docket Access:
- Visit the Arizona Judicial Branch's Public Access Case Lookup
- Select the appropriate court type
- Enter case number or party name
- Review the register of actions (docket)
- Note that document attachments may not be available online
In-Person Docket Review:
- Visit the clerk's office at the courthouse where the case is filed
- Provide the case number or party names to the clerk
- Request to view the docket or register of actions
- Review the physical or electronic docket at public access terminals
- Request copies of specific documents referenced in the docket if needed
Court Calendar Information:
- Access the Yavapai County Superior Court website
- Navigate to the court calendar section
- Search by date, judge, or case type
- View scheduled hearings and proceedings
- Note that calendars are typically published one week in advance
For specialized dockets such as criminal arraignments or civil motion calendars, contact the specific court division directly. Some courts also provide automated telephone systems that offer hearing date information.
Which Courts in Yavapai County Are Not Courts of Record?
In Arizona, "courts of record" are defined by A.R.S. § 12-121 as courts whose proceedings are permanently documented verbatim, either through court reporters or electronic recording systems. These records can be used for appeals based on the actual trial record rather than requiring a new trial.
Courts not of record in Yavapai County include:
- All Municipal Courts (Prescott, Cottonwood, Sedona, Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Jerome)
- Small Claims divisions of Justice Courts
In these non-record courts:
- Proceedings are not typically recorded verbatim
- Appeals from these courts to Superior Court are conducted "de novo" (completely new trials)
- Judges are not required to be attorneys in most cases
- Procedures are generally less formal
- Cases are typically resolved more quickly
Justice Courts in Yavapai County function as courts of record for some proceedings but not for others. When handling small claims cases (under $3,500), they operate as non-record courts. For regular civil and criminal matters, they maintain official records of proceedings.
The Superior Court of Yavapai County is always a court of record, with all proceedings documented by certified court reporters or digital recording systems as required by Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 80.