Phoenix Felony Records

Phoenix felony records are held by two main agencies in the area. The Phoenix Police Department stores arrest data, incident reports, and clearance letters at their records unit on East Grant Street. All felony court cases go through Maricopa County Superior Court since the city does not have jurisdiction over serious crimes. The Phoenix Municipal Court only handles misdemeanor charges and city code violations. If you need to search for a felony case from Phoenix, start with the county court system or request arrest records from the police. Many residents look for these records when they need to check on past cases, run a background check, or get proof of their own criminal history.

Phoenix Police Felony Records Unit

The Phoenix Police Department runs its own records unit for local arrest data. This is where you go to get police reports, incident files, and clearance letters. The unit sits at 1717 E Grant Street, Suite 100, in Phoenix. Hours run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. You can reach them by phone at 602-534-1127. Email works too if you send your request to policepublicrecords@phoenix.gov. Many folks come here to get copies of arrest reports or to request a letter showing they have no local record.

Clearance letters are one of the most common requests the Phoenix Police Records Unit handles. These letters show whether someone has an arrest record with the Phoenix Police Department. The fee is $8.50 if no record exists. If there is a record on file, the cost goes up to $28. Keep in mind that these letters only cover arrests made by Phoenix PD. They do not include data from other cities in the metro area or from the county sheriff. For a full picture of someone's criminal history, you would also need to check with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the state DPS Central Repository.

You can find more details on the Phoenix Police Records main page.

This page shows all the ways to request records from Phoenix PD. It covers fees, forms, and contact info for the Records Unit.

Phoenix Online Felony Records Portal

Phoenix has a web portal that lets you submit records requests online. The Phoenix Public Safety Portal is the main tool for this. You can use it to ask for police reports, arrest data, and other public safety documents. The portal tracks your request and sends updates as it moves through the system. This saves a trip to the records office in person.

The portal is simple to use. Enter your info, describe what you need, and submit. Staff will review the request and get back to you with the cost and wait time. Some requests take longer than others based on the type of records and how far back you need to go.

The Phoenix Police Department processes a high volume of requests each month. Wait times can vary based on the workload. Simple requests like clearance letters tend to move faster. More complex asks, like body camera footage or large case files, take more time. Plan ahead if you need records by a certain date.

Note: Online requests still require payment before records are released.

Phoenix Felonies Go to Maricopa County Court

All felony cases in Phoenix are handled by the Maricopa County Superior Court. This is true for the entire county, not just Phoenix. The city does not have a felony court. When someone is charged with a serious crime like robbery, burglary, drug trafficking, or assault with a deadly weapon, the case goes to Superior Court in downtown Phoenix. The main courthouse is at 201 W. Jefferson Street. That is where most felony trials take place.

The Superior Court Criminal Department has a dedicated phone line for case questions. Call 602-506-8575 to ask about a specific case. The Information Center at 602-506-3204 can also help. You can search for felony cases online using the Criminal Case Search tool on the court website. This lets you look up cases by defendant name or case number. The search results show the charges, case status, hearing dates, and assigned judge.

If you need copies of court documents, contact the Clerk of Superior Court. Their main office is at 620 W Jackson Street in Phoenix. The phone number is 602-372-5375. Fees are $0.50 per page for copies and $35 for certified documents. See the Maricopa County felony records page for full details on the county court system.

Phoenix Municipal Court Records

The Phoenix Municipal Court does not hear felony cases. It only has jurisdiction over misdemeanors and city ordinance violations. Misdemeanors are crimes with a max jail time of six months. Examples include minor theft, DUI first offense, and disorderly conduct. If you are looking for a felony case, the Municipal Court will not have it. You need to go to Maricopa County Superior Court instead.

That said, the Municipal Court can be useful in some situations. Sometimes a charge starts as a felony and gets reduced to a misdemeanor. This can happen through a plea deal or if the prosecutor drops the case to a lesser charge. In those cases, the final record may end up at the Municipal Court level. If you are not sure where a case wound up, check both the city and county court systems. The Phoenix Municipal Court is located at 300 W. Washington Street. Call 602-262-6421 for more info.

This page covers what the Municipal Court handles. Use it to learn about city court records separate from felony matters at the county level.

Arizona Felony Record Laws in Phoenix

Arizona law shapes how felony records work in Phoenix. The state uses a class system for felonies. Class 1 is the most serious, like first-degree murder. Class 6 is the least serious, like some drug possession charges. Each class carries different sentencing ranges. The sentence impacts how long you must wait to seal your record later on.

A.R.S. Section 41-1750 sets up the Central State Repository at the Arizona Department of Public Safety. This is the statewide database for criminal records. All arrests and dispositions in Arizona get reported there. However, DPS cannot run background checks for private employers or private citizens. You must use court records or a third-party service for that purpose. The law restricts access to the state repository to authorized agencies only.

If you have a felony conviction from a Phoenix case, you may be able to seal your record under A.R.S. Section 13-911. Arizona passed this law in 2022. It lets people petition to seal their record after they finish their sentence and wait the required time. For Class 2 or 3 felonies, the wait is 10 years. Class 4, 5, or 6 felonies require 5 years. Some offenses cannot be sealed at all. These include dangerous crimes against children, sex trafficking, and violent felonies.

How to Get Phoenix Felony Records

Getting felony records from Phoenix depends on what type of record you need. For arrest records and police reports, contact the Phoenix Police Department Records Unit. You can visit in person at 1717 E Grant Street, Suite 100. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can also submit a request through the online portal or send an email to policepublicrecords@phoenix.gov.

For court records from a felony case, you need to go through Maricopa County. The Clerk of Superior Court is the official keeper of case files. You can search cases online for free using the Criminal Case Search tool. If you need copies of documents, request them from the Clerk's office. The Customer Service Center is at 601 W. Jackson in Phoenix. Fees run $0.50 per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost $35 per document plus the page fee. Payment methods include money order, debit card, credit card, and cash. Personal checks are not accepted.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office holds booking records and jail data. Their public records unit is at 550 W. Jackson Street. Call 602-876-1000 for general info. They cannot give you court records or case outcomes. For those, you must contact the Superior Court. Be specific when you request records from the sheriff. They cannot process open-ended requests for all records on a person.

Note: Each agency has its own fees and wait times.

Sealing Phoenix Felony Records

Arizona now lets people seal certain felony records. This option was not available until the state passed record sealing laws in 2022. The process works through the court that handled your case. For Phoenix felonies, that means filing a petition with Maricopa County Superior Court. The petition asks the court to seal all records related to your case.

To qualify, you must have finished your full sentence. This includes prison time, probation, parole, and any fines or restitution. After that, you wait the required period based on your felony class. Class 2 and 3 felonies have a 10-year wait. Class 4, 5, and 6 felonies have a 5-year wait. Once you meet these conditions, you can file the petition. The court will review it and decide whether to grant the sealing.

Some crimes cannot be sealed no matter how much time passes. Dangerous offenses, crimes against children, and violent felonies fall into this category. Sex crimes and human trafficking are also excluded. If your offense is on the exclusion list, you cannot seal that record in Arizona. Check with an attorney if you are not sure whether your case qualifies for sealing.

Felony Records in Nearby Arizona Cities

Phoenix is part of a large metro area. Many neighboring cities also fall under Maricopa County jurisdiction. If you need felony records from these areas, the same county court system applies. Each city has its own police department with separate arrest records. Click on a city below to learn more about local records access.

All felony cases from these cities go to Maricopa County Superior Court. For arrest records, contact each city's police department directly.

Maricopa County Felony Record Resources

For detailed info on the county court system that handles Phoenix felonies, visit the Maricopa County felony records page. It covers the Superior Court Criminal Department, Clerk of Court fees, and sheriff's office records. You will also find links to online case search tools and document request forms.

The county page has more on the Justice Courts as well. These courts handle misdemeanors if a case was not charged as a felony. Sometimes related records appear there if charges were reduced. Check both levels of the court system to get the full picture on any criminal matter from the Phoenix area.