Social Influencer Emilie Kiser Files Lawsuit to Block Release of Public Records After Son’s Drowning Tragedy: Arizona Court Issues Temporary Ban

The Law Behind Public Records in Arizona

Under Arizona law, police reports, 911 calls, and other investigative documents are classified as public records. The rationale is rooted in government transparency and accountability. However, the law also allows for redactions to protect victims, and courts can withhold records if releasing them would cause “substantial and irreparable private or public harm.”

The Kiser case brings this tension to the forefront. According to court filings, more than 100 public records requests have been submitted to both the City of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office. Kiser’s lawsuit alleges that many of these requests were made for “commercial purposes”—a characterization that, if proven, could weigh in the court’s balance, though Arizona’s Ombudsman states that requests for news reporting are not considered commercial by law.

The Arguments: Privacy vs. Public Interest

The Family’s Position

Kiser’s legal team argues that releasing the records—especially in their raw form—would only serve to deepen the family’s anguish, amplify online harassment, and potentially expose surviving family members (including her infant son) to further trauma. They cite the extraordinary pressures facing families in the public eye and suggest that media and private actors are exploiting the tragedy for clicks and commercial gain.