Cochise County is named after the Native American chief Cochise, who was instrumental during the Apache wars. Spread over 6,219 square miles, it is the eighth-largest county in Arizona by total area. As of the 2020 census, the county was estimated to have a population of 125,445 people.

Courts in Cochise County

Cochise County is home to Superior Courts and Justice of the Peace Courts.

Superior Courts in Cochise County have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. They can hear all cases except when the jurisdiction to hear the case is exclusively assigned to another court by law. The courts handle general civil cases where the amount in dispute is $10,000 or more. The courts also handle cases relating to probate, estate, divorce, and annulment of marriage.

Superior Courts also have a Juvenile Department that handles cases relating to children referred for reasons of delinquency, parents facing termination of parental rights, juvenile guardianships, and adoptions.

In Cochise County, the Justice of the Peace Courts can hear both civil and criminal cases. They handle criminal proceedings such as misdemeanors, felony preliminary hearings, search warrant applications, domestic violence cases, and criminal offenses punishable by incarceration for six months or less or a fine of $2,500 or less. They also hear civil cases relating to landlord/tenant disputes, cases where the amount in dispute is $10,000 or less, etc.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Cochise County

The Office of the Cochise County Clerk of the Superior Court is responsible for providing public access to court records of the Superior Court in the county. The Office keeps court records from 1881 to the present, and anyone interested in accessing public court records can do so by submitting a request form in person at the office or by filling out an online request form. The Justice of Peace Courts also has its clerk. Interested persons can also visit the office in person to access court records. Arizona also maintains an online web-based portal called eAccess, through which interested persons can access court records for courts in Cochise County.

Types of Public Court Records in Cochise County

Public court records are records designated by the courts to be made available to anyone interested upon request. Some of these records include:

• Court Forms
• Criminal Court Records
• Civil Court Records
• Grand Jury Reports
• Appellate Court Records

Confidential Court Records in Cochise County

Confidential court records are records that are restricted from public access. Only parties involved in the case and their attorneys have access to such records. Examples of confidential records in Cochise County include:

• Adoption Records
• Custody and Visitation Records
• Child Support Records
• Psychiatric Records
• Juvenile Delinquency Records

Juvenile Delinquency in Cochise, AZ

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Cochise County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Arizona often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 730 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Cochise County. Of that total, 76% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 552 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Cochise County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Cochise County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Cochise County, AZ

https://az.gov/

County Seat:	Bisbee
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1881
Total Square Miles:	6,219
2019 Population:	124,756
Persons/Square Mile:	0.05

Cochise County, AZ Courts