Find Graham County Divorce Records
Divorce decree records in Graham County come from the Superior Court Clerk office in Safford. This office keeps all divorce case files and final decrees for Graham County. You can search for a case online using state court portals. Getting a copy requires contacting the clerk office directly by phone, mail, or in person. The clerk maintains records going back to when the county was formed in 1881. Most divorce decrees are public records unless a court order sealed the case. Fees for copies and certified documents follow Arizona state guidelines, with 50 cents per page for plain copies and additional charges for certification.
Graham County Quick Facts
Graham County Clerk of the Superior Court
The Clerk of the Superior Court in Graham County is located at 800 W Main St on the main floor of the courthouse in Safford. This is the only Superior Court location in the county. All divorce cases filed in Graham County go through this courthouse. The clerk office acts as the official record keeper. They maintain case files, process new filings, and provide copies to the public.
Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is closed on weekends and state holidays. If you plan to visit in person, bring a photo ID. You can search records yourself at no charge if you come to the courthouse. The clerk staff can pull files for you to review. If you want copies, they charge the standard per-page fee.
For phone inquiries, call 928-428-3100. The clerk can answer questions about fees, procedures, and whether they have a specific case on file. They cannot give legal advice. If you need help understanding a court order or filling out forms, ask about the court's self-service center or contact an attorney.
The mailing address is Superior Court, 800 W Main St, Courthouse, Main Fl, Safford, AZ 85546-3803. Send requests for copies by mail if you cannot visit in person. Include the case number or the names of both spouses. Tell them what you need and include payment or ask them to contact you with the total fee amount.
More details are on the Graham County Clerk website, which lists services and contact information.
Steps to Get a Graham Divorce Decree
Start by finding the case number if you can. Use the Arizona Public Access Case Lookup to search for free. Select Graham County from the dropdown. Enter a party name or case number. The system shows basic case info like the filing date and case type. Write down the case number once you find it. This makes your request much easier.
If you need a plain copy for personal use, you can often get that by visiting the clerk office. Tell the staff the case number. They pull the file and make copies while you wait. Pay the 50 cents per page fee. You leave with your copies the same day in most cases. This works best if you live near Safford or can make the trip during business hours.
For a certified copy, ask the clerk to add the certification. This costs extra but gives you an official document with the raised seal and clerk signature. Banks, government agencies, and courts often require certified copies as proof of divorce. A plain copy is fine for your own records, but get a certified one if you need it for legal or official purposes.
Mail requests take longer but work if you cannot visit. Write a letter that includes the case number, the names of both spouses, and what you need. Say whether you want plain or certified copies. Give your phone number in case they need to contact you about the fee or any issues finding the case. Include a check or money order if you know the exact amount. Otherwise, they can call or email you with the total before processing.
The Graham County Superior Court page has general court information and links to forms.
Fees for Graham County Divorce Records
Copies cost 50 cents per page. This is standard across Arizona counties. A short decree of 3 pages costs $1.50. A longer decree of 12 pages costs $6.00. You pay for the pages you get. The clerk will tell you how many pages your case file has if you ask ahead of time.
Certification adds to the cost. The exact fee for certification in Graham County may vary, so ask the clerk office when you make your request. Most Arizona counties charge $35 for certification. Graham County follows similar guidelines but confirm the current rate before sending payment.
Online payments can be made through azcourtpay.com. This is a vendor the county uses for processing court-related fees. There is a flat $5 fee for using the online system. You can also pay in person with cash, check, or card. Mail payments should be money orders or cashier's checks to avoid issues.
Check the Graham County court filing fees page for a full schedule of all court fees, though divorce decree copy fees are separate from filing fees.
Note: Fees are subject to change, so always verify the current rates with the clerk office before submitting payment.
Online Search for Graham Divorce Cases
Graham County participates in the Arizona Public Access system. This free tool lets you search case records from home. Go to apps.azcourts.gov/publicaccess/caselookup.aspx and pick Graham County. Search by name, case number, or attorney. The results show case details but not the full documents. You see when the case was filed, who the parties are, and the case status.
For actual documents, Graham County uses the Arizona eAccess portal. Sign up at azcourtdocs.gov to view and download court records. The portal charges $10 per document. This is a one-time fee for each file you download. You get a PDF that you can save or print. This is not a certified copy, so it works for personal records but not for official use.
If you need a certified copy, you must order it from the clerk office. The online portal cannot provide certification. Only the clerk can add the seal and signature that make a copy certified. Use the online portal for quick access to documents you need for reference. Use the clerk office for official certified copies.
What a Graham County Divorce Decree Includes
The divorce decree is the court's final order ending the marriage. It states that the marriage is dissolved. The judge's signature appears at the bottom along with the date. The decree lists both spouses by their full legal names. It includes the case number at the top so you can identify which case it belongs to.
If the couple has children, the decree covers custody arrangements. Arizona calls this legal decision-making authority. The decree says which parent makes major decisions about school, health care, and religion. It also includes a parenting time schedule. This spells out where the kids live and when they visit the other parent. Child support amounts are in the decree too, along with how long payments must continue.
Property division appears in the decree. Arizona is a community property state. Assets and debts from the marriage get split between the spouses. The decree lists who gets which property. It also says who pays which debts. Cars, houses, bank accounts, and retirement funds all get divided. The decree makes it clear so both people know what belongs to them after the divorce.
Spousal maintenance, sometimes called alimony, is included if one spouse pays support to the other. The decree states the amount and how long it lasts. Some maintenance is temporary, ending after a few years. Some continues until the receiving spouse remarries or dies. The decree spells out all the terms so there is no confusion later.
The full case file has more than the final decree. It includes the petition that started the case. Financial disclosures show each person's income and assets. Settlement agreements may be in the file if the couple worked out terms without trial. Court minute entries describe hearings. All these documents together tell the full story of the divorce case.
Older Divorce Decrees in Graham County
Graham County was created in 1881. Divorce records exist from that time forward. Very old files may be stored off-site or transferred to the Arizona State Archives. If you need a decree from before 1950, contact the clerk office first. They can tell you if the record is still at the courthouse or if you need to go through the state archives.
The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records holds historical court records for some counties. Their holdings vary by county and time period. They may have indices that help you find case numbers by name. Copies can be ordered from the archives if they have the file. Fees apply for research and copying.
Old records were often handwritten. The paper may be fragile or faded. Legal terms from the 1800s and early 1900s differ from modern language. Arizona was a territory until 1912, so very old records use territorial law. If you have trouble reading an old decree, ask the clerk or archives staff for help understanding what it says.
Nearby Counties for Divorce Records
Graham County is in southeastern Arizona. It borders several other counties. If you are not sure where your divorce was filed, check with the county where you or your spouse lived at the time. Each county only has records for cases filed in that county.