Journalism

Open access to records varies by state. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press publishes information on each state's open records and open meetings laws in the Open Government Guide. The Arizona Revised Statues (ARS), Section 39, covers Public Records laws for Arizona.

"Public record" does not necessarily mean the records are free to access or available online. Some public records are available online, while others must be viewed in person at the government office that keeps them. Government agencies may charge a fee for making copies of public records. SearchSystems.net and Public Records Online Directory are two sites that point to some online public records. Also, check state and local government websites to see what they have available online or to learn where to access records in person.

Understanding city, county, and state government agencies will be helpful in knowing how to access different public records. The Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records provides excellent information about Accessing Arizona Public Records. These are a few types of Arizona public records and how to access them:

• Courts - Public access to court case information from the Arizona Judicial Branch; court record search from the Pima County Consolidated Justice Court; record search of court cases, marriage licenses, and more from the Pima County Clerk of the Superior Court.
• Property - information on property ownership and property value is available from the Pima County Assessor
• City of Tucson Council meeting and documents archive from the City Clerk's Office
• Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting minutes
• Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) statistics
• Other documents of Pima County