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Scottsdale Prosecution Department drops court document inspection fees

Department now in compliance with Arizona public record law

Posted 3/30/20

The Scottsdale Prosecution Department is updating its disclosure and inspection fee schedule assessed previously to defendants in City Court, 3700 N. 75th St., as those undergoing court proceedings …

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Scottsdale Prosecution Department drops court document inspection fees

Department now in compliance with Arizona public record law

Posted

The Scottsdale Prosecution Department is updating its disclosure and inspection fee schedule assessed previously to defendants in City Court, 3700 N. 75th St., as those undergoing court proceedings oftentimes request to inspect materials at no hard cost.

Scottsdale City Council, in unanimous fashion, approved the new fee schedule at its March 17 regular meeting at City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.

According to a March report to City Council, the established fees --- for general fees and on-body camera video reproduction --- were approved by elected leaders in May and June of 2018, respectively.

“Since that time, the Prosecution Department has reviewed its disclosure fee schedule and determined to remove the fees for inspection of records and allows for refunds in certain instances,” said Scottsdale Deputy City Attorney Luis Santaella. “This means there will be no charge for defendants to inspect records.”

Mr. Santaella outlines the changes to the Scottsdale Prosecution Department’s fee schedule is now in-line with Arizona public record law.

“Not charging to inspect records is in-line with state public records requirements that allow a member of the public to inspect records at no charge,” he explained in his report to City Council. “The Prosecution Department is not requesting any changes to the fees to reproduce reports and files, except that the Prosecution Department is requesting that reproduction fees now be refundable for items other than departmental records.”

According to Mr. Santaella, the Scottsdale Prosecution Department started charging inspection fees for public records Jan. 28.

“The removal of the inspection fee should have minimal financial impact as only rarely does someone request to inspect a record versus a copy,” he said. “Allowing refunds for items with higher reproduction fees should have a minimal financial impact as refunds generally only be given when someone pays for a record that does not exist.”

Resolution No. 11731 sets the Scottsdale Prosecution disclosure fee schedule at:

  • Non-DUI report reproduction: $5
  • DUI report reproduction: $10
  • On-body camera file(s): $60 per case
  • All other audio and visual files: $10 per recording
  • Jail DVD: $100