C. Court-derived exclusions, common law prohibitions, recognized privileges against disclosure.

The Arizona Supreme Court has recognized three common law circumstances in which documents can be withheld: (i) confidentiality, (ii) privacy or (iii) disclosure against the best interest of the state.  See Carlson, 141 Ariz. at 490, 687 P.2d at 1245.  “If these interests outweigh the public’s right of inspection, the [public body] can properly refuse inspection.  The [public body] bears the burden of overcoming the legal presumption favoring disclosure.”  See Scottsdale Unified School Dist. No. 48 of Maricopa County v. KPNX Broad. Co., 191 Ariz. 297, 300, 955 P.2d 534, 537 (1998) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).

Arizona Courts also have on occasion looked to the exceptions contained in the federal Freedom of Information Act for guidance.  Church of Scientology v. City of Phoenix Police Dep’t, 122 Ariz. 338, 340, 594 P.2d 1034, 1036 (Ct. App. 1979); see Phoenix New Times, L.L.C. v. Arpaio, 217 Ariz. 533, 539 n.3, 177 P.3d 275, 280 n.3 (Ct. App. 2008); see also Ariz. Bd. of Regents v. Phoenix Newspapers, Inc., 167 Ariz. 254, 258, 806 P.2d 348, 352 (1991); Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Cmty., 168 Ariz. at 540-41, 815 P.2d at 909-10.