SAHUARITA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Starting May 16, the Town of Sahuarita will no longer offer passport and marriage license services at its Municipal Court.
Sahuarita Public Information Officer Hailee Tavoian cited ongoing staffing challenges and a growing demand for core judicial functions as the primary reason for discontinuing the services.
Currently, only two of the five court clerks are certified to handle passports and marriage licenses. The remaining three clerks are new hires brought on within the past year and have yet to complete the certification process.
These shortages, paired with the pressure of handling more urgent legal matters—such as injunctions and orders of protection—prompted town officials to reevaluate the court's workload.
On average, the Sahuarita court processed about 120 passport applications and issued 70 marriage licenses annually. But with limited staff and an uptick in urgent legal proceedings, maintaining those services has become unsustainable.
Residents seeking alternative options won't have to travel far. Tavoian noted that there are nine other locations within a 40-mile radius where passports can be processed, and three locations for marriage licenses—including Green Valley Justice Court, which also hosts free wedding ceremonies every second Friday of the month.
The final day to schedule a passport appointment in Sahuarita is Thursday, May 15, while Friday, May 16 marks the last day for marriage certifications. Town officials advise residents to book remaining appointments as soon as possible, as demand is expected to surge ahead of the cutoff.
More information can be found on the Town of Sahuarita Municipal Court website.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
