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The resources on this page include commercial databases and free internet resources. Westlaw and LexisNexis links will take you to the specified database if you have a password. These links work better if you are already logged in. The College of Law provides Westlaw and LexisNexis passwords to its law faculty, staff, and students. Westlaw and LexisNexis links open in a new window.

 

Social Security Death Index


You can search the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) to find out if someone is deceased or to find out if a specific social security number (SSN) belongs to a person who has died. In general, the SSDI covers deaths after 1962, but a few deaths date as far back as 1932. The person must have had a SSN and the person's death must have been reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

  • RootsWeb.com —  On Rootsweb, you can view SSNs and request copies of documents from the SSA (for a fee).
  • Westlaw: DEATH database. Westlaw masks the last four digits of a person's SSN. You can obtain copies of related documents via Westlaw CourtExpress.

Birth and Death Certificates


In Arizona, birth and death certificates are not public records. Only certain persons may request birth or death certificates, such as parents, certain family members, a guardian, an attorney representing an interested party, etc. (A.A.C. §§ R9-19-403 and 405). However, birth and death certificates are accessible by the public for births that occurred at least 75 years ago and deaths that occurred at least 50 years ago (A.R.S. § 36-351). Copies of these records are available via the Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates website.

In other states, birth and death certificates may be public records.


Obituaries


The obituaries and death notices from certain U.S. and international newspapers may be searched on Westlaw. Coverage varies by publication. The Westlaw database does not include The Arizona Republic newspaper.


Marriage Records


In Arizona, marriage and divorce records are available to the public. Copies of records may be obtained from the clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the marriage occurred. In Maricopa County, you may obtain copies, for a fee, in person at the clerk's office, by mail or by telephone. Some Arizona divorce records are also available on Westlaw.

  • Clerk of the Superior Court, Maricopa County
  • Westlaw: DIVORCE-AZ database. Database contains divorce records and other documents associated with divorce proceedings from Superior Courts, Municipal Courts and Justice of the Peace Courts. Full Dockets are added daily for the Superior Courts. Municipal and Justice of the Peace courts are updated monthly. Coverage of Maricopa County divorce records begins January 2000.

Criminal Court Records


There are no publicly available national criminal databases, but local records may be searchable. Criminal records for Maricopa County are available via the Maricopa County website, as well as Westlaw. Dockets from other Arizona state courts are available on Westlaw, and dockets from Arizona federal courts are available on Westlaw and LexisNexis.

  • Maricopa County Superior Court case information
  • Westlaw:
    • DOCK-AZ-MARICOPA database — Dockets from civil and criminal cases filed in Maricopa County Superior Court from January 1, 2000 to present.
    • DOCK-AZ-STCTS database — Dockets from civil and criminal cases filed in select state courts, including Superior Court, Municipal Court and Justice of the Peace Courts.
    • DOCK-AZ-ALL database — Docket information on civil and criminal cases filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, civil cases filed in Pima County Superior Court, and civil and criminal cases filed in the U.S. District Court for Arizona, U.S. Court of Appeal, Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Arizona.
    • CRIM-AZ database — Records derived from the Administrative Office of the Courts (Arizona State and Pima County), Department of Corrections, the Department of Public Safety Sex Offender Registry and the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.
  • LexisNexis: Arizona U.S. District Criminal Court filings (DOCKET;USAZCR) database. Criminal docket summaries from the district of Arizona, coverage begins in 1992.

Incarcerations


Sex Offender Registries


Professional Licenses


Assets

  • Maricopa County Assessor: Assessor parcel information.
  • Maricopa County Recorder's Office:  Recorded documents dating back to January 1984 are available, either in the county recorder's office downtown or via the website.
  • Westlaw:
    • RPA-AZ database — Abstracts of real property tax roll records from assessors in selected counties in Arizona.
    • RPF-AZ database — Pre-foreclosure documents recorded with county recorders in selected counties in Arizona.
    • RPT-AZ database — Abstracts of real property transaction records from records filed with county recorders in selected counties in Arizona.
    • WATERCRAFT database — Information on merchant and recreational vessels registered with the U.S. Coast Guard.
    • AIRCRAFT database — Information on civil aircraft registered with the FAA.
  • LexisNexis:
    • AZ Mortgage Records (ASSETS;AZMORT) database — county court house real estate records for selected counties in Arizona.
    • AZ Deed Transfers (ASSETS;AZSALE) database — deed transfer records for selected counties in Arizona.
    • Combined AZ Tax Assessor Records (ASSETS;AZPROP) database — tax assessor property information records for all counties in Arizona.
    • Federal Aviation Administration Aircraft Registrations (ASSETS;AIRCFT) database — Information on aircraft registered with the FAA.

Court Records

  • Federal court: Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER): PACER allows users to obtain case and docket information from U.S. district, bankruptcy, and appellate courts, and from the U.S. Party/Case Index, a national index for U.S. district, bankruptcy, and appellate courts. Links to all courts are provided from this website. There is a $.08 per page charge that applies to the number of pages that results from any search (including a search that yields no matches) and the charge applies whether or not pages are printed, viewed, or downloaded.
  • Maricopa County:  Case information for civil, criminal, family, probate, and justice court cases.
  • Arizona Public Access to Court Information:  Public access to court case information for 153 of 180 courts in Arizona. Information includes detailed case information (i.e., case type, charges, filing and disposition dates) and the parties in the case, not including victims and witnesses. Information displayed is not the official record of the court.
  • Westlaw: You can search for litigation information by clicking on the COURT DOCS link at the top of the page. Specific databases for Arizona include:
    • AZ-FILING-ALL database — Selected motions, trial court memoranda, trial pleadings and other trial filings from the Arizona state and federal trial courts, 2001 to present.
    • AZ-FILING database — Selected motions, trial court memoranda, trial pleadings and other trial filings from the Arizona trial courts, 2001 to present.
    • AZ-DCT-FILING database — Selected motions, trial court memoranda, trial pleadings and other trial filings from the United States District Court, D. Arizona.
    • AZ-BKR-FILING database — Selected motions, trial court memoranda, trial pleadings and other trial filings from the United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Arizona.
  • LexisNexis: Court Records from CourtLink. Allows you to access dockets from selected state and federal courts, build profiles of litigants, judges, and opposing counsel, and access records from over 4,500 courts.
  

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