Cochise County Divorce Decrees
Divorce decree records in Cochise County are kept by the Clerk of the Superior Court. These records come from cases filed in Bisbee or Sierra Vista. You can search for a divorce decree online using the state case lookup portal. If you need a copy, contact the clerk office by mail or use the county's research request form. The clerk office maintains all final decrees, case files, and court orders from divorces granted in Cochise County. Most records are open to the public unless sealed by court order. Certified copies cost $35 plus 50 cents per page.
Cochise County Quick Facts
Getting Your Cochise County Divorce Decree
The Superior Court Clerk in Cochise County handles all divorce decree requests. The main office is in Bisbee at 100 Quality Hill Road. They also have a branch office in Sierra Vista at 100 Colonia De Salud, Suite 200. Both offices can help you get copies of divorce decrees from cases filed anywhere in the county. If you live near Sierra Vista, the branch location may be more convenient than driving to Bisbee.
To request a copy, you need some basic information. The case number makes the search easy. If you do not have that, give the full names of both spouses. Include the year the divorce was granted if you know it. The more details you provide, the faster the clerk can find the right case. Some people only know one name or a rough time frame. The clerk can still search, but it may take longer.
Cochise County does not accept requests by phone or fax. You must submit in writing by mail or email. Send your request to the Research Office at cochisecountyresearch@courts.az.gov for email. For mail, use the address PO Drawer CK, Bisbee, AZ 85603. Include your contact info and mailing address. Tell them if you need certified or plain copies. Payment must be made before they send the documents. They do not take personal checks, so use a money order, cashier's check, or the Point and Pay online system.
You can also search for cases yourself using the Arizona Public Access Case Lookup. Pick Cochise County from the list. Enter a name or case number. The system shows case details like when it was filed and the current status. This free tool helps you confirm the case number before ordering copies. It does not show the full decree text, but it tells you the case exists and gives you the number to use in your request.
The Cochise County records request page explains the process in detail and provides forms you can fill out.
Cochise County Divorce Decree Fees
Plain copies cost 50 cents per page. A typical decree runs 5 to 10 pages. Expect to pay $2.50 to $5.00 for an uncertified copy. If you need the raised seal and clerk signature, add $35 for certification. That brings the total to about $37.50 to $40 for a certified divorce decree.
Special certifications cost more. An exemplification uses two seals and costs $70. Authentication uses three seals and costs $105. Most people do not need these unless dealing with foreign governments or very specific legal situations. The standard $35 certification works for almost all purposes in the United States.
You can pay online through Point and Pay. This is the county's preferred payment method. You can also send a money order or cashier's check by mail. Again, they do not accept personal checks or cash by mail. Credit cards work only through the online portal.
Check the Cochise County filing fees page for the most current fee amounts since these can change.
Online Access to Cochise Divorce Records
Cochise County participates in the Arizona eAccess portal. This system lets you view and download court documents for a fee. Go to azcourtdocs.gov and create an account. Search for the case by name or case number. Once you find it, you see a list of all filed documents. Click on the divorce decree or any other document you need. The system charges $10 per document for one-time downloads. You pay with a credit card and get a PDF file right away.
Downloaded documents from eAccess are not certified. They work for personal records or informal purposes. If you need a certified copy for court, government agencies, or other official uses, you must order it from the clerk office. The clerk adds the seal and signature that makes it certified. Only the clerk can do this, not the online portal.
The public access search at apps.azcourts.gov is free. It shows case information but not the documents themselves. Use it to find case numbers or check case status. Then decide if you want to order copies from the clerk or download from eAccess.
What Cochise Divorce Records Show
A divorce decree states that the court dissolved the marriage. It lists both spouses by name. The date the judge signed it appears at the top or bottom. Terms for child custody and support get spelled out if the couple has kids. Property division is included. The decree says who gets which assets and who pays which debts. If one spouse owes alimony, that is in there too.
The full case file has more than the final decree. It starts with the petition for dissolution. The other spouse files a response. Financial disclosures show income, assets, and debts. If there were temporary orders during the case, those appear in the file. Settlement agreements go in if the couple worked out terms without trial. Court minute entries describe what happened at hearings. All of this makes up the complete record of the divorce case.
Some information may be redacted or sealed. Social Security numbers and bank account numbers often get blacked out on public copies. This protects against identity theft. Cases involving abuse allegations may have sealed portions to protect victims. Most divorce cases are fully public, but check with the clerk if you need sensitive information that might be restricted.
Visit the Clerk of the Superior Court page for more information about what records are available.
Old Divorce Decrees in Cochise County
Cochise County was formed in 1881. The clerk office has divorce records going back to that time. Very old records may be stored off-site or transferred to the Arizona State Archives. If you need a decree from before 1950, ask the clerk office first. They can tell you if they still have it or if you need to contact the state archives.
The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records holds some historical court records. Their collection includes certain naturalization records from February 1881 forward. Divorce case indices may also be available for older years. Contact the archives at azsos.libguides.com to see if they have the record you need. They charge fees for research and copies.
Records from the late 1800s and early 1900s were handwritten. They may be harder to read than modern typed documents. The legal language was also different back then. Arizona was still a territory until 1912, so very old records use territorial law terms. The clerk or archives staff can help you understand what the old documents say if needed.
Note: Processing times for historical records may be longer than for recent cases since staff must retrieve them from storage.
Divorce Decrees for Cochise County Cities
All divorce cases filed by Cochise County residents go through the Superior Court system. It does not matter which city you live in. Sierra Vista is the largest city in the county, with a population over 45,000. Residents there file at the Sierra Vista courthouse. Bisbee residents use the Bisbee courthouse. Smaller towns like Douglas, Benson, and Willcox are also part of Cochise County. People from those areas file in whichever courthouse is closer or more convenient.
No cities in Cochise County have a population over 50,000, so there are no city-specific pages on this site. All divorce decree records are kept at the county level. Whether you live in Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Douglas, or anywhere else in Cochise County, you request your divorce decree from the same clerk office.
The Sierra Vista office is at 100 Colonia De Salud, Suite 200, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635. The Bisbee office is at 100 Quality Hill Road, PO Drawer CK, Bisbee, AZ 85603. Call the research office if you need to confirm which location has the original file for your case. Most modern records are accessible from either location.
Nearby Arizona Counties
Cochise County borders several other Arizona counties. If your divorce was filed in a neighboring county, you need to contact that county's clerk office instead.