Tempe Dissolution Records

Divorce decree records for Tempe residents are kept at the Maricopa County Superior Court Clerk of Court office. When you file a petition for dissolution of marriage while living in Tempe, the case goes through the Maricopa County court system where a judge reviews it and signs the final decree. The clerk office stores the original decree along with all other case documents like financial statements, settlement agreements, and court orders. Tempe does not maintain divorce decree files at the city level because state law requires all such records to be handled by county Superior Courts. You can get copies of your divorce decree by visiting a clerk location in person, submitting an online request, or mailing a written request with fees.

Maricopa County Superior Court Jurisdiction

Every divorce case filed by a Tempe resident is processed through Maricopa County Superior Court. This court has exclusive jurisdiction over dissolution of marriage cases in the Tempe area. The county serves all of Tempe along with dozens of other cities in the greater Phoenix metro area. When you file for divorce in Tempe, you submit your petition to the Maricopa County Clerk of the Superior Court. A judge in the Maricopa court system reviews your case and signs the final decree once all requirements are met.

Maricopa County operates four courthouse locations where you can access divorce records. The main Customer Service Center is downtown Phoenix at 601 W. Jackson. The Southeast Court Complex in Mesa is closest to Tempe at 222 E. Javelina Ave. This location is about 6 miles from central Tempe and offers full clerk services during regular business hours. There are also locations in Surprise and north Phoenix that serve other parts of the county.

All Maricopa County residents pay the same fees regardless of which city they live in. Copy fees are 50 cents per page. A certified copy costs an additional $35 on top of the per-page fee. If you need the clerk to search for your case without providing a case number, they charge $35 per year or source researched. When you request copies by mail, there is an $8 postage and handling fee.

Getting Your Tempe Divorce Decree

The Southeast Court Complex in Mesa is the most convenient Maricopa County location for Tempe residents. It is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Walk in during those hours with a photo ID. Tell the clerk staff you need a copy of a divorce decree. If you have the case number, give it to them. If not, provide the full names of both spouses and the approximate date the divorce was finalized. Staff will search the records and make copies for you. You pay at the counter and can often get the copies right away.

Many people prefer using the online records request system instead of visiting in person. Go to clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov/records/obtaining-records to find the online form. Enter your case details, specify what documents you need, and pay with a credit or debit card. The clerk office processes your request and mails the copies to your address. This option works well when you do not need the documents immediately and want to avoid a trip to the courthouse.

If you were a party to the divorce case, you can access your records through ECR Online. This secure portal is for registered users who are parties to cases in Maricopa County. Create an account at ecronline.clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov/login.aspx using your case number and personal information. Once logged in, you can view documents from your family court, civil, criminal, probate, or tax court cases without paying per-page fees. You cannot get certified copies this way, but you can view and download regular copies.

Search Tempe Divorce Cases Online

Before requesting copies, you may want to verify your case number or confirm which county has your records. The Arizona Public Access system lets you search for free. Go to apps.azcourts.gov/publicaccess/caselookup.aspx and select Maricopa County. Search by party name, case number, or attorney name. The system shows basic information about the case like filing date, case type, and current status. It does not show full documents but helps you locate the right case.

Court minutes are available through a separate Maricopa County system at courtminutes.clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov/index.asp. This free tool shows brief summaries of hearings and orders. You can see what happened in court without reading the full decree. It is useful for checking whether a case is finalized or still in progress.

The Arizona eAccess Portal provides another way to get divorce decree documents. Visit azcourtdocs.gov to access this statewide system. Create a free account or log in. Search for your case and select the documents you want to download. Each document costs $10 regardless of page count. Payment is by credit card and downloads are instant. The portal is available 24 hours a day. Monthly subscriptions are available for users who need frequent access to records. Government agencies often get free access to this portal.

Divorce Decree Copy Fees

Plain copies from the Maricopa County Clerk office cost 50 cents per page. Most divorce decrees are between 5 and 15 pages. Expect to pay $2.50 to $7.50 for a basic uncertified copy. Certified copies include the clerk's signature and a raised seal. They cost $35 plus the per-page fee. You need certified copies when submitting the decree to government agencies, applying for loans, or dealing with foreign authorities who require official proof of divorce.

Research fees apply when you do not have your case number and need the clerk to search for it. The fee is $35 per year or source they must check. This charge is waived if you provide the case number up front. Keep a record of your case number after your divorce is final to avoid this fee in the future.

Mail requests include an $8 postage and handling charge. This covers the cost of the envelope, shipping, and staff time to process and send your order. The eAccess portal charges $10 per document download. This is a flat fee that does not change based on page count. Downloads from eAccess are regular copies, not certified ones. If you need certification, go through the clerk office instead.

What Divorce Case Files Contain

The final decree is the most important document in a divorce case. It is the judge's official order dissolving the marriage. The decree states how property and debts are divided. It includes custody and parenting time arrangements if you have children. Child support amounts and payment terms are listed. Spousal maintenance appears in the decree if one spouse must pay the other. This single document is legal proof that your marriage has ended.

A complete case file has many other documents besides the decree. The petition for dissolution of marriage starts the file. The respondent's answer comes next. Financial affidavits from both spouses show income, assets, and debts. If you reached a settlement, the consent decree or settlement agreement is in the file. Court minute entries describe what happened at hearings. Temporary orders for custody or support during the case may be included. All motions, objections, and notices are part of the record.

You can request any part of the file when you order records. Most people only need the final decree. Some need specific financial documents or settlement agreements. Others want the entire file to review everything that happened in their case. The clerk office will copy whatever you request as long as the case is not sealed. They charge 50 cents per page for any document you order.

Note: Some information may be redacted from public copies to protect privacy, such as bank account numbers or Social Security numbers.

Help for Tempe Residents

Several resources can help Tempe residents dealing with divorce cases. The Maricopa County Law Library at the downtown Phoenix courthouse is open to the public. It has legal reference books, sample forms, and computers for research. Library staff can show you where to find information but cannot give legal advice about your case.

Community Legal Services offers free legal help to qualifying low-income residents in the Phoenix metro area. They handle family law cases including divorce. You must meet income guidelines to use their services. Call their Phoenix office or visit their website to apply for assistance. They can represent you in court if you qualify and have a case they can take.

The Maricopa County Superior Court Self-Service Center helps people who are representing themselves without a lawyer. The center is located at the downtown courthouse. Staff can explain court procedures, help you fill out forms correctly, and answer questions about deadlines and filing requirements. They cannot give legal advice or tell you what to say in court. Their help is limited to procedural guidance.

Arizona Court Help is a free online resource at azcourthelp.org. The site has forms, instructions, and videos about divorce cases. You can download the petition form, response form, and other documents you need. Step-by-step guides walk you through filling out each form. The site explains court processes in plain language. It is available 24 hours a day and is especially useful for people filing without an attorney.

Older Tempe Divorce Decrees

Maricopa County has maintained divorce records since the county was formed in 1871. If you need an old divorce decree from Tempe, it should be in the Maricopa County Clerk files. Very old files may have been moved to off-site storage. Call the clerk office before you visit if you need a decree from before 1950. They can tell you if the file is on-site or if they need time to retrieve it from storage.

The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records holds some historical court records from Maricopa County. Their divorce case holdings generally cover the period from the late 1800s through about 1972. Not every case from those years is at the Archives. Coverage depends on what records were transferred from the county over time. Contact the Archives through azsos.libguides.com/azgenealogy/marriagedivorce to see if they have the case you are looking for.

Documents from the 1800s and early 1900s were often handwritten. They can be difficult to read compared to modern typed records. Legal language in old decrees differs from current terminology. Courts used different procedures and forms back then. If you are researching family history or genealogy, be prepared for records that look and sound quite different from today's documents.

Filing for Divorce in Tempe

You can file for divorce in Tempe if you or your spouse has lived in Arizona for at least 90 days. This is the residency requirement. You file at the Maricopa County Superior Court because Tempe is in Maricopa County. The petition for dissolution of marriage starts the case. You serve the other spouse with the papers. They have time to file a response.

Arizona law calls divorce "dissolution of marriage" and uses a no-fault system. You do not need to prove your spouse did anything wrong. The only legal ground required is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. This means there is no reasonable chance of fixing it. One spouse can claim this even if the other disagrees. Both can agree if they want.

Property division in Arizona follows community property rules. All assets and debts from the marriage are divided equally unless there is a good reason not to. Each spouse keeps separate property they owned before marriage or received as a gift or inheritance. The decree spells out who gets each asset and who pays each debt.

If you have children, the decree includes custody arrangements. Arizona now calls this "legal decision-making" instead of custody. The decree also has a parenting time schedule that says when each parent has the kids. Child support is calculated using state guidelines based on income and number of children. Spousal maintenance may be ordered if one spouse needs financial help after the divorce.

Nearby Cities

Other cities near Tempe also use the Maricopa County court system for divorce cases.