Pima County Criminal Records Search: Cases & Public Records

Match the question to the correct Pima County record keeper

A “criminal record” can mean a court case, arrest report, jail booking, statewide criminal-history record or prison record. Those are not stored in one Pima County database.

Search Arizona court cases by name before narrowing to a Pima County court

The Arizona Judicial Branch provides Public Access to Court Case Information. It currently includes case information from most Arizona courts and can be searched by name or case number.

Search by name

The public lookup accepts:

• last or business name
• first name
• date of birth
• specific court
• case number

The Arizona Judicial Branch cautions that the public lookup is informational rather than the official court record, that not every case from every participating court is necessarily included, and that important information should be verified with the actual court of record.

The statewide public case-information database currently says its information is refreshed weekly, with updates generally posted Friday reflecting information through Wednesday.

Use Pima County Superior Court for felony criminal cases

Arizona Superior Court in Pima County is located in downtown Tucson and handles felony criminal matters along with other Superior Court jurisdiction.

The Clerk of the Superior Court maintains the official case file. If you need actual pleadings, minute entries, sentencing records or certified documents, the Clerk—not a third-party search site—is the authoritative source.

Use Arizona eAccess when you need Superior Court documents

Arizona’s eAccess provides online access to qualifying Superior Court civil and criminal case records and documents.

What eAccess can provide

• Superior Court case information
• eligible criminal case documents
• online document purchasing
• electronic certified documents when available

For Pima County criminal cases before July 1, 2015, expect an offline step

Because Pima County’s eAccess criminal-document coverage begins with cases filed on or after July 1, 2015, an older criminal case may require more direct contact with the Clerk of Superior Court.

Pima County Consolidated Justice Court has its own case search

The Pima County Consolidated Justice Court Case Search provides public access to qualifying Justice Court records.

If you are looking for a felony, move to the Pima County Superior Court path instead of assuming the Justice Court search is incomplete.

Check Tucson City Court when the case is municipal

If the incident occurred within Tucson and involved a matter handled by Tucson City Court, use the city’s official Court Defendant Search.

Tucson City Court allows searches using a person’s first and last name, docket number or citation number.

If the online result does not appear

Tucson City Court instructs users to either contact the Court directly or submit a court public-record request.

Ordering Tucson City Court records

Tucson City Court currently lists a $17 clerk fee per case file for many researched record requests. The same $17 fee can apply to a “No Record Found” letter. Electronic public case searching itself is listed as free.

The Court accepts record requests online, by mail, fax, email or in person.

Read the final disposition—not just the charge

Court systems often show the original allegation long after the case was dismissed, reduced or resolved in another way. A useful criminal-record search should answer how each charge ended.

When you need the official record, request it from the Clerk

A website result is useful for research, but the Arizona Judicial Branch repeatedly warns that online case information is not necessarily the official record of the court.

For Pima County Superior Court case documents, use the Clerk of the Superior Court. Court filing and copy fees are subject to change, so check with the Clerk before sending payment.

The Court states that in-person payments may generally be made by cash, money order, qualifying personal check or credit card, while mail payments generally use money order or qualifying personal check.

Pima County Superior Court contact details

Map to Pima County Superior Court in downtown Tucson

This is the main Superior Court location at 110 West Congress Street. Confirm the correct office and service before traveling.

Use Pima County Sheriff’s inmate lookup for current county custody

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department provides an Inmate Lookup for people currently housed in the Pima County Adult Detention Complex.

PCSD also operates the Ajo District Jail:

How to request Pima County jail records

The Pima County Sheriff’s Jail Records Unit handles requests involving people housed in the Pima County Adult Detention Complex.

Requests can be submitted online where available, in person or by mail.

Information that helps locate the record

• requester’s name and contact information
• inmate’s full name
• date of birth when known
• name number
• booking number
• housing location when known

Current jail-report fee guidance

PCSD currently lists ordinary reports at $5 each, with an additional $0.25 per page for reports over twenty pages. Large requests may involve production charges after the first hour.

Request a Sheriff’s incident report from the agency that created it

If the incident was investigated by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, use its incident-report request process.

PCSD asks requesters to provide:

• requester’s name
• address
• telephone number
• case number when available
• date of the incident
• location of the incident

Release can also be delayed or restricted when a case is under active investigation, when disclosure could harm a person, or when protected victim information is involved.

If Tucson Police made the arrest, use Tucson—not the Sheriff’s Department

Pima County contains multiple law-enforcement jurisdictions. The agency that created the police or arrest report is usually the agency you need to contact.

For an arrest warrant, contact the court of jurisdiction

Pima County Sheriff’s Department advises people who suspect they have an outstanding warrant to contact the court of jurisdiction.

Arizona DPS does not offer a public statewide criminal-history name search

Arizona Department of Public Safety is the state’s Central State Repository for Arizona criminal-history information. Arizona criminal-justice agencies report arrest and disposition information to the repository.

However, Arizona law restricts copies of statewide criminal-history records to authorized individuals and agencies. DPS specifically states that it cannot simply perform an ordinary statewide criminal-history check for a private citizen who wants to investigate someone else.

How to review your own Arizona criminal history

A person may request a Record Review Packet or begin the review process through the Arizona DPS Public Services Portal.

DPS currently states that a response containing any existing criminal-history information is mailed within 15 days after receipt of a completed Record Review Packet.

Need a local Pima County clearance instead of a statewide DPS record?

Arizona DPS tells people seeking a local clearance to contact the appropriate local law-enforcement agency.

That distinction matters:

If you need a clearance for a specific purpose, ask the requesting agency exactly which document it requires before paying for fingerprints or records.

Search Arizona state-prison records with ADCRR

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry Inmate Data Search provides public information concerning people in the Arizona state correctional system.

Arizona DPS maintains the official sex-offender website

Arizona DPS maintains the state’s public sex-offender internet information pursuant to Arizona law.

DPS currently directs users to its OffenderWatch-powered search for public information on qualifying registered sex offenders.

Check Arizona appellate records if the Pima County criminal case was appealed

Pima County is in the southern part of Arizona, but appellate jurisdiction and docket access should be confirmed through the Arizona appellate courts.

Arizona provides online appellate docket information for the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Appellate records are separate from the original Superior Court criminal file.

Federal criminal cases in Tucson are not Pima County court records

Federal prosecutions are separate from Arizona state and county courts. The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona has a Tucson courthouse at:

Federal electronic court records are searched through PACER.

Arizona now allows petitions to seal qualifying criminal case records

Arizona’s sealing law under A.R.S. § 13-911 allows eligible people to petition to seal qualifying criminal case records.

Arizona’s Judicial Branch explains that the sealing process can cover records under the control of criminal-justice entities, including:

• court records
• Arizona DPS Central State Repository records
• prosecuting-agency records
• law-enforcement records

Where to file in Pima County

The correct court depends on the case:

• conviction → court where the conviction occurred
• dismissal / not guilty → court where the case was filed
• no charges after initial appearance → court where the initial appearance occurred
• arrest with no filing or initial appearance → Superior Court in the county of arrest

Juvenile criminal records are not searched like ordinary adult cases

Pima County Justice Court specifically states that criminal and traffic matters involving juvenile defendants are not available through its ordinary online public case search.

Juvenile records can also be subject to additional confidentiality and access restrictions. Do not assume that a missing online result means no juvenile matter exists.

Public court research is not the same as an authorized Arizona employment check

Arizona DPS specifically states that the Central State Repository cannot simply provide statewide criminal-history records to private citizens or private employers for ordinary employment screening.

Certain Arizona organizations can receive fingerprint-based state and federal criminal-history checks when a statute, ordinance, executive order or other qualifying legal authority permits it.

Arizona also operates a Fingerprint Clearance Card program for certain jobs, licenses and regulated activities.

Arizona DPS currently lists the Applicant Clearance Card Team at (602) 223-2279.

Pima County search tips that solve the most common problems

Official sources for verifying Pima County records

• Arizona Judicial Branch — Public Access to Court Case Information
• Arizona Judicial Branch — eAccess Superior Court Documents
• Arizona Superior Court in Pima County
• Pima County Superior Court — Criminal Court
• Pima County Superior Court — Public Records Requests
• Pima County Consolidated Justice Court — Case Search
• Tucson City Court
• Tucson City Court — Record Request
• Pima County Sheriff’s Department
• Pima County Sheriff’s Department — Jail Information
• Pima County Sheriff’s Department — Incident Report Requests
• Pima County Sheriff’s Department — Jail Records Requests
• Arizona DPS — Criminal History Records
• Arizona DPS — Sex Offender Information
• Arizona Department of Corrections — Inmate Data Search
• Arizona Judicial Branch — Sealing Criminal Case Records
• PACER — Federal Court Case Search