Find Yuma County Family Court Records

Yuma County family court records are kept by the Superior Court of Arizona in Yuma County. These files hold divorce cases, child custody matters, child support orders, and paternity filings. The Clerk of Superior Court at 250 W. 2nd Street in Yuma handles all requests for family law documents. Residents in Yuma County can access these records in person at the courthouse or by mail. The statewide Arizona Courts Public Access portal also lets you search Yuma County family court cases from your computer. Staff at the clerk office can help you find records if you have questions about what is on file.

Yuma County Clerk of Superior Court

The Yuma County Clerk of Superior Court is Lynn Fazz. The office is at 250 W. 2nd Street in Yuma, Arizona 85364. You can call the clerk at (928) 817-4210. The fax number is (928) 817-4211. Send email to lfazz@courts.az.gov if you have questions. The clerk office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. It is closed on weekends and state holidays.

Family court records in Yuma County are open to the public with some limits. You can request copies of divorce decrees, custody orders, child support records, and other family law documents. Staff will need the case number or names of the parties to find what you need. If you do not have the case number, ask the clerk to run a search using the names. Some records may be sealed by court order and will not be available to the general public. Juvenile cases and most adoption files are kept private under Arizona law.

Yuma County does not accept ez-Courtforms. This is different from some other Arizona counties that use the ez-Courtforms system for self-help filings. If you need to file family law forms in Yuma County, you must use paper forms or check with the clerk about other filing options. The Yuma County Self-Service Center has forms and guides for people who are handling their own cases.

Note: Yuma County has one courthouse location for all family court matters, unlike larger counties with multiple regional centers.

Yuma County Family Court Record Fees

Copy fees in Yuma County follow the statewide schedule set by the Arizona Supreme Court. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies add an extra fee on top of the copy charge. The certification fee makes the document official for use in legal matters or with other agencies. You will need certified copies if another court or a government office asks for proof of a family court order.

Filing fees for family court cases in Arizona went up in late 2024. Class A fees are now $330, and Class B fees are $165. The Arizona Courts fee schedule lists all current costs. Divorce filings, custody petitions, and paternity cases each have their own fee based on which class they fall into. Ask the clerk which category applies to your case before you file.

Fee waivers are an option for those who cannot pay. You fill out a form that shows your income and expenses. The judge reviews it and decides if you qualify. If approved, some or all of your fees may be waived. This helps make the court system available to people with low incomes. Forms for fee deferral or waiver are at the self-service center or can be downloaded from state court websites.

Search Yuma County Family Court Records Online

The Arizona Courts Public Access Portal covers Yuma County. This free tool lets you search court cases across the state from any device with an internet connection. You do not need to create an account to use it. The system shows case information such as filing dates, party names, and case status. Some documents may be viewable online, while others require a trip to the clerk office or a mail request.

To search, enter a party name or case number into the system. Results will show all matching cases in Yuma County. Click on a case to see more details. The portal pulls data from the court's internal system, so it is up to date with recent filings. Keep in mind that older records or those from certain sealed case types will not appear in the results. If you need records that do not show up online, contact the clerk directly.

The AZ Court Help website is a good place to start if you are new to the court system. It has guides that explain how family court works in Arizona. The site also has a court finder tool that gives contact details for any court in the state. You can use it to get the address, phone number, and hours for the Yuma County Superior Court or any other location. This is helpful if a case might have been filed in a different county.

Types of Yuma County Family Court Records

Divorce records are among the most common family court documents requested in Yuma County. A divorce file contains the original petition for dissolution of marriage, the response from the other spouse, financial disclosures, any agreements between the parties, and the final decree. The decree is the court order that ends the marriage. It spells out the terms for dividing property, support payments, and how children will be cared for if there are any.

Child custody records in Arizona are now called legal decision-making and parenting time. Legal decision-making covers big choices about the child, like where they go to school or what medical treatment they get. Parenting time is the schedule that says when each parent has the child. Court files include parenting plans that the parties agreed to or that the judge ordered. If an expert did a custody evaluation, that report may also be in the file. Any later changes to the custody arrangement are added to the case record.

Child support records show how much one parent must pay to the other for the child's care. The Arizona Division of Child Support Services works with courts to set up and collect support payments. You can reach them at 602-252-4045 or toll-free at 1-800-882-4151. Support orders are based on both parents' incomes and the child's needs. If a parent's job or situation changes, they can ask the court for a modification. That request and any new order become part of the record.

Paternity records prove who the legal father of a child is. These cases can include DNA test results, signed acknowledgments of paternity, or court orders that establish paternity. Once paternity is set, the court can order child support and make custody decisions. Paternity cases are common in Yuma County, just as they are across Arizona.

Yuma County Family Court Laws

Arizona family law is found in Title 25 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. This title covers marriage, divorce, custody, child support, and paternity. It sets the rules that all family courts in the state must follow, including Yuma County. Judges use these statutes to make decisions in cases. Knowing the basics of the law can help you understand what to expect in your case.

Chapter 3 of Title 25 deals with dissolution of marriage. It explains the grounds for divorce and the steps you must take to file. Arizona is a no-fault divorce state, which means you do not have to prove your spouse did something wrong. You only need to show that the marriage is broken beyond repair. The chapter also covers legal separation for couples who want to live apart without fully ending the marriage.

Chapter 4 of Title 25 covers legal decision-making and parenting time. Under ARS 25-403.06, both parents have a right to access records about their child's education and health, unless a court order says otherwise. This statute is important for parents who share custody. It makes sure both have the information they need to be involved in their child's life, even if they do not live in the same home.

Access to court records in Arizona is not controlled by the general public records law. Instead, Arizona Supreme Court Rule 123 sets the rules for who can see court files. Most family court records are public, but some are sealed or restricted. Adoption cases and juvenile dependency cases are confidential under state law. If you are not sure whether you can get a certain record, ask the clerk to explain the rules for that type of case.

Note: Statutes may change from year to year, so check the official Arizona Legislature website for the most current version of any law.

Yuma County Family Court Self-Help Resources

The Yuma County Self-Service Center helps people who are representing themselves in family court. The center has forms for divorce, custody, child support, and other common family law cases. Staff can point you to the right forms and explain the filing process. They cannot give legal advice or fill out forms for you, but they can show you where to find help.

If you want to file for divorce in Yuma County without a lawyer, the self-service center is a good starting point. Gather the forms you need and read the instructions carefully. Fill out the forms as completely as you can. Then take them to the clerk office to file. The clerk will check that you have the right forms and that they are filled out correctly. You will pay the filing fee at that time unless you have a fee waiver.

Statewide resources are also available. The AZ Court Help website has guides and videos that walk you through family court procedures step by step. The site covers topics like how to serve papers, what happens at a hearing, and how to ask for a change to a court order. You can access these resources from any computer or phone. They are free and do not require you to sign up for anything.

Cities in Yuma County

Yuma County is in the southwest corner of Arizona. The City of Yuma is the largest city in the county and serves as the county seat. All family court cases for residents of Yuma and the smaller towns in the county go through the Yuma County Superior Court. There is no city-level family court. Municipal courts handle traffic tickets and misdemeanors, not family law matters.

The Yuma Municipal Court website directs people with family law questions to the Yuma County Superior Court. If you need information about divorce, custody, or child support in Yuma, contact the Clerk of Superior Court at (928) 817-4210. The municipal court at 1515 S. 2nd Avenue handles city ordinances and minor criminal matters only.

Nearby Arizona Counties

Yuma County borders several other counties in Arizona. If you are searching for family court records and are not sure where a case was filed, it may be in one of these nearby areas. Family law records stay in the county where the case was originally filed, not where either party lives now. You may need to check multiple counties if you are not certain of the location.

La Paz County is directly north of Yuma County. It is a smaller county with its own Superior Court in Parker. Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, is to the northeast. It has the largest family court system in the state. Pima County, where Tucson is located, is to the east. Each of these counties has its own clerk office and online records portal.

Contact Yuma County Family Court

The best way to get family court records from Yuma County is to contact the Clerk of Superior Court. You can visit the office in person, call, fax, or send email. Here is the contact information:

• Address: 250 W. 2nd Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
• Phone: (928) 817-4210
• Fax: (928) 817-4211
• Email: lfazz@courts.az.gov
• Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday

When you call or visit, have as much information as possible about the case you are looking for. The case number is the fastest way to find records. If you do not have it, give the names of the parties and an approximate date range. Staff can search for the case and let you know what documents are available. They will tell you the cost and how to pay before they pull any copies.

For child support questions, you can also contact the Arizona Division of Child Support Services directly. Their phone number is 602-252-4045, or use the toll-free line at 1-800-882-4151. They have access to child support case records and can help with payment questions, modifications, and enforcement. The office is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.