Court records in Pima County, Arizona, are maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court and can be accessed through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the clerk's office. PimaCourt.us will help you find publicly available information about county court cases. Additional sources include the Public Access Case Lookup portal of the state of Arizona, the Pima County public records system, and the court clerk's office where the case is heard.
Pima Court System Overview
Pima County is part of the Arizona state court system, where courts of general jurisdiction are organized at the county level. The Arizona Superior Court in Pima County has 53 judicial officers who handle criminal, civil, family, juvenile, and probate cases. In addition to the Superior Court, the county has several Justice Courts — courts of limited jurisdiction serving individual precincts. Appeals from Justice Courts go to the Superior Court. Federal cases involving county residents are heard by the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona in Tucson.
Courts Serving Pima
Residents of the county are served by several courts of different jurisdictional levels.
State Court — Superior Court
Justice Courts (Courts of Limited Jurisdiction)
Federal Court
Municipal Courts
Additionally, the cities of South Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, and Sahuarita have their own municipal courts to handle city ordinance violations and minor offenses.
What Types of Cases Pima Courts Hear
Pima County courts hear a wide range of cases. The Superior Court has unlimited original jurisdiction, while Justice Courts and municipal courts have limited jurisdiction.
- Felonies
- Misdemeanors and infractions
- Civil claims with no limit on amount (Superior Court) and up to $10,000 (Justice Court)
- Small claims — up to $3,500
- Family law: divorce, custody, child support, paternity
- Probate, guardianship, conservatorship
- Juvenile and child protection cases
- Traffic violations and DUI
- Adoption
District Court Cases in Pima
Arizona does not have district courts at the state level — this role is fulfilled by the Superior Court. It hears all serious criminal cases after indictment by a grand jury or after a preliminary hearing in Justice Court. Civil claims of any amount also fall under its jurisdiction. Cases are distributed among judges by category: criminal, civil, family, juvenile, and probate. The Superior Court also hears appeals from Justice Courts and municipal courts. After sentencing, a convicted person may file a post-conviction relief motion with this court.
Magistrate Court Cases in Pima
Justice Courts in Pima County perform functions similar to magistrate courts in other states. These courts hear:
- Misdemeanors and infractions
- Preliminary hearings in felony cases
- Civil claims up to $10,000
- Small claims — up to $3,500
- Traffic violations, including DUI
- Eviction and possession recovery cases
Information on specific Justice Court cases can be found on the county's Case Information page. If you have an outstanding warrant, review the warrant resolution procedure in Pima County.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Pima
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity establishment, protective orders, and termination of parental rights are all handled by the family law division of the Superior Court. Filing begins with the Clerk of the Superior Court. Self-represented parties can use resources from the court's Self-Service Center.
Probate
Probate cases, guardianship, conservatorship, and trust matters fall under the jurisdiction of the Superior Court. The court appoints specific judges to handle probate cases, allowing for specialized expertise.
Juvenile Matters
Juvenile cases — offenses, child protection (dependency) cases — are handled by a separate juvenile division of the Superior Court. Juvenile case records are confidential under Arizona law and are not publicly accessible without court permission.
How Cases Move Through the Pima Court System
- Case Initiation. A criminal case begins with the filing of a complaint or indictment. A civil case starts with the filing of a complaint or petition with the court clerk.
- Judge Assignment. The clerk's office assigns the case to a specific judge according to the court's internal rules.
- Initial Hearings. In criminal cases, an arraignment is held. In civil cases, a scheduling conference is set to determine the timeline.
- Pre-Trial Phase. Parties exchange evidence (discovery), file motions. In criminal cases, plea negotiations may occur.
- Case Resolution. The case concludes with a jury verdict, plea agreement, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-Judgment. In criminal cases — sentencing. In civil cases — judgment enforcement. Any party may appeal to the Arizona Court of Appeals.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Pima
Court administration in the county is conducted by the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court in conjunction with the Trial Court Administrator. Local court rules are published on the Arizona Judicial Branch website and pertain to filing procedures, deadlines, and courtroom conduct.
According to Arizona law, court records are publicly accessible, except for cases that are sealed or confidential by law — such as juvenile cases, certain family cases, and cases with protective orders. Public access is governed by the Arizona Rules of the Supreme Court, Rule 123 (Public Access to Court Records).
Hearings are generally open to the public. Some judges allow remote participation in hearings — check this possibility with the specific department's clerk's office.
To request public records from the county, use the GovQA system on the Pima County Clerk of the Board's website.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Pima
- Online Case Search. Public Access Case Lookup allows searching Superior Court cases by party name or case number. Information is updated regularly but does not replace official records.
- Justice Court Case Information. The Case Information page provides resources for searching cases in the county's Justice Courts.
- County Records Search. Records Search combines access to birth, death certificates, and other documents maintained at the county and state level.
- Inmate Lookup. The Inmate Lookup of the Sheriff's Department allows finding individuals held at the Pima County Adult Detention Center. The public library also provides inmate search instructions.
- Sheriff's Department. The Pima County Sheriff's Department publishes information on arrest reports, bail payment, and inmate visitation.
- Criminal History. Criminal history check requests are processed by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Copies of criminal records are available only to authorized persons and agencies.
- DPS Records Requests. For other types of law enforcement records, use the Records Request portal of the Department of Public Safety.
- Vital Records. Birth and death certificates are issued by the Bureau of Vital Records of the Arizona Department of Health Services in Phoenix, as well as local registration offices.
- Tax Records and Real Estate. The Pima County Assessor conducts property assessments, and the treasurer's property search allows checking tax obligations. For parcel search, use Parcel Search.
- Additional Information. PimaCourt.us gathers links and explanations on accessing Pima County court records.