A.R.S. § 39-177: Child abuse records; prohibited disclosure; exceptions; good cause determination

A. Child abuse records are confidential and are not subject to disclosure pursuant to this article.

B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, a child abuse record may be disclosed to the following:

1. The parent or legal guardian of the minor unless the parent or legal guardian is the subject of the child abuse investigation or a homicide investigation.

2. The minor's legal representative.

3. A law enforcement agency, prosecutor, medical examiner, court or child welfare agency for the purpose of an investigation or court proceeding.

4. A person who is authorized by an order from a court of competent jurisdiction on a finding of good cause. In determining whether good cause exists, the court shall consider all of the following:

(a) The privacy and safety interests of the minor.

(b) Whether the disclosure is necessary to evaluate the conduct of a public official or agency.

(c) Whether the disclosure will cause psychological harm or trauma to the minor.

5. A child fatality review team established pursuant to title 36, chapter 35.

C. This section does not prohibit either of the following:

1. The disclosure of a written report, an investigative summary or statistical information that does not contain a visual depiction or audio recording of the minor victim.

2. The department of child safety from disclosing child abuse records pursuant to section 8-807.

D. In a criminal case, the prosecutor shall disclose child abuse records to the defendant's attorney as provided for by law and court rule. The defendant's attorney may share the child abuse records with a person who is employed to assist with the defense in the criminal case, but the child abuse records may not be further disseminated without a court order on a finding of good cause.

E. A person who receives a child abuse record pursuant to subsection B of this section may not further disseminate the record.