Rule 17.Sealing, Redacting, and Unsealing Court Records

Part I. General Administration · Last amended January 1, 2019 · Last verified September 4, 2026

In one sentenceRule 17 lets the court seal or allow redaction of a court record only on written findings covering five specified conclusions, and unseals only by stipulation, on the court's own motion, or on motion.

Full Text of Rule 17

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)

(a) Request to Seal or Redact Court Records; Service. Any person may request that the court seal or allow the filing of a redacted court record in a case that is subject to these rules by filing a written motion, or the court may on its own seal or allow the filing of a redacted court record. The title of the motion to seal or allow the filing of a redacted court record must disclose that the motion seeks sealing or redaction. The motion must be served on all parties in accordance with the applicable rules of service.

(b) Hearing. The court may conduct a hearing on a motion to seal or allow the filing of a redacted court record.

(c) Grounds to Seal or Redact; Written Findings Required. The court may order the court files and records, or any part thereof, to be sealed or redacted, provided the court enters written findings of fact and conclusions that the specific sealing or redaction is justified. The conclusions must include the following:

(1) there exists an overriding interest that overcomes the right of public access to the record;

(2) the overriding interest supports sealing or redacting the record;

(3) a substantial probability exists that the overriding interest will be prejudiced if the record is not sealed or redacted;

(4) the proposed sealing or redaction is narrowly tailored; and

(5) no less restrictive means exist to achieve the overriding interest.

(d) Access. Court records that are sealed may be examined by judicial officers. Access by the public to sealed records will be allowed only after entry of a court order in accordance with this rule.

(e) Motion; Service. A sealed court record will be unsealed only upon stipulation of all the parties, on the court's own motion, or on a motion filed by a party or another person. A motion to unseal a court record must be served on all parties to the action in accordance with the applicable rules of service. If the movant cannot locate a party for service after making a good faith effort to do so, the movant may file an affidavit setting forth the efforts to locate the party and requesting that the court waive the service requirements of this rule. The court may waive the service requirement if it finds that further good faith efforts to locate the party are not likely to be successful.

(f) Objection to Unsealing. Any party opposing a motion to unseal must demonstrate why the motion should not be granted. The opposing party must show that overriding circumstances continue to exist or that other grounds provide a sufficient basis for keeping the record sealed.

End

Rule History

Added Aug. 30, 2018, effective Jan. 1, 2019.

Editors' Notes

COMMENT TO 2019 AMENDMENT

This rule uses the adjective “overriding interest” to conform to the court's use in State v. Tucker, 231 Ariz. 125 (App. 2012), and Rule 5.4 of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure.

Plain-English Summary

Rule 17 is where Rule 13's presumption of openness is applied to documents, and the burden is deliberately heavy.

The request

Any person may move to seal a record or to file a redacted one, and the court may do either on its own. The title of the motion must disclose that it seeks sealing or redaction — the request cannot be buried inside a differently-titled filing. It is served on all parties. The court may hold a hearing but is not required to.

Five findings

The court may seal or redact provided it enters written findings of fact and conclusions that the specific sealing or redaction is justified. The conclusions must include all five of:

an overriding interest that overcomes the right of public access;
that the overriding interest supports sealing or redaction;
a substantial probability that the interest will be prejudiced if the record is not sealed or redacted;
the proposal is narrowly tailored; and
no less restrictive means exist to achieve the interest.

The Editors' Note records that "overriding interest" was chosen to conform to the court's usage in Arizona case law and to Rule 5.4 of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure — one of the places where Rule 1(c)'s "substantially the same language" provision does real work.

Access and unsealing

Sealed records may be examined by judicial officers. Public access comes only after a court order under this rule.

A sealed record is unsealed only on stipulation of all parties, on the court's own motion, or on motion by a party or another person — served on all parties. Where the movant cannot locate a party after a good faith effort, they may file an affidavit setting out the efforts and ask the court to waive service, which the court may do on finding that further efforts are unlikely to succeed.

A party opposing unsealing must demonstrate why the motion should not be granted, showing that overriding circumstances continue to exist or that other grounds justify keeping the record sealed. The burden sits with the party seeking continued secrecy, both at sealing and at unsealing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a court record sealed?

By written motion whose title discloses that it seeks sealing or redaction, served on all parties. Rule 17(c) requires the court to enter written findings of fact and conclusions that the specific sealing or redaction is justified, covering all five conclusions the rule lists.

What findings does the court have to make?

That an overriding interest overcomes the right of public access; that the interest supports sealing or redaction; that a substantial probability exists that the interest will be prejudiced if the record is not sealed or redacted; that the proposal is narrowly tailored; and that no less restrictive means exist.

Who can see a sealed record?

Rule 17(d) allows judicial officers to examine sealed court records. Access by the public is allowed only after entry of a court order in accordance with the rule.

How is a record unsealed?

Rule 17(e) allows unsealing only on stipulation of all the parties, on the court's own motion, or on a motion filed by a party or another person, served on all parties.

What if I cannot find a party to serve the motion?

Rule 17(e) allows the movant to file an affidavit setting forth the efforts to locate the party and requesting waiver of the service requirement. The court may waive it on finding that further good faith efforts are not likely to be successful.

Who has the burden on a motion to unseal?

Rule 17(f) puts it on the party opposing unsealing, who must demonstrate why the motion should not be granted by showing that overriding circumstances continue to exist or that other grounds provide a sufficient basis for keeping the record sealed.

Source & verification. Rule text, Rule History and Editors' Notes reproduced verbatim from the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure as published by the Arizona Supreme Court, current through amendments effective January 1, 2026. Promulgated by the Supreme Court of Arizona (Ariz. Const. art. 6, § 5). Last verified September 4, 2026. · Official text

Also known as: sealing recordsredactionunsealingoverriding interestconfidential filingseal court record