Flag of the State of Arizona

The Guide to Arizona Courts


The Arizona trial court system consists of Superior Courts, Justice Courts, Municipal Courts, and Magistrate Courts.
 
Superior Courts are general jurisdiction courts that typically only handle cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. Superior Courts have specialized divisions for certain types of cases, including a Tax Court division. Justice Courts, Magistrate Courts and Municipal Courts have limited jurisdiction over certain types of civil and criminal cases.
 

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Please select a Arizona county below to view directory of all courts with links to court record resources for each court. Find Arizona court pages by Town or Zip Code. Select a court record or online resource category below to view all resources at both the statewide and county level. Go to the court records pages for another state.

 

 



 
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Arizona Superior Courts

Superior Courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases, except when jurisdiction is limited by law or exclusively assigned to another court. If no other court has jurisdiction to handle a particular case, Superior Courts have jurisdiction.

Superior Courts have original jurisdiction over civil cases including probate, estate, divorce, annulment of marriage, disputes over title and possession to real property, civil cases involving claims for $10,000 or more (exclusive of interest and costs), the legality of municipal ordinances, actions for forcible entry and detainer, proceedings in insolvency, actions to prevent or stop a nuisance, and naturalization. Superior Courts share jurisdiction with Justice of the Peace Courts for civil cases involving claims for $5,001 - $10,000, exclusive of interest and costs.

Superior Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, but preliminary hearings for felony cases can happen in lower courts. Superior Courts share jurisdiction with Justice of the Peace Courts over misdemeanors when the potential penalty does not exceed $2,500 or imprisonment for six months.

The Tax Court is a specialized panel of the Superior Court, with original jurisdiction over cases involving the legality of any tax, impost or assessment. The Tax Court may be held in any county seat, but the principal office is located at the Superior Court in Maricopa County. The Tax Court offers a simplified Small Claims procedure for cases involving most taxes where the amount in dispute is less than $5,000, and for some cases that involve disputes over the classification and value of certain types of property, including property tax disputes that concern property that has a full cash value of less than one million dollars.

Arizona Justice Courts

Justice Courts have limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases.

Criminal cases heard by Justice Courts include felony preliminary hearings, misdemeanors and criminal offenses punishable by a fine of less than $2,500 or less than six months in county jail.

Justice Courts have original jurisdiction over all civil actions that involve claims for $5,000 or less, exclusive of interest or costs. Justice Courts also handle cases involving the possession of real property, such as landlord-tenant cases, if the title or ownership of the property is not in dispute.

Justice Courts have Small Claims Court divisions that handle most civil cases when the amount in dispute is less than $2,500, exclusive of interest and costs. The Small Claims division will not handle certain types of cases, including defamation, slander, libel, class action lawsuits, specific performance, injunctive relief, disputes over the title of real property, lawsuits against the State or its employees, traffic violations and criminal cases. There is no right to a jury trial in the Small Claims Division.

Justice Courts share jurisdiction with Superior Courts over civil cases with disputes worth between $5,001 - $10,000, exclusive of interest and costs.

Arizona Municipal Courts

Municipal Courts have limited jurisdiction over city and town ordinance violations, including the enforcement of fines, fees and other such penalties and restitution.

Municipal Courts share jurisdiction with Justice of the Peace Courts over violations of State law committed within the limits of the city or town.

Arizona Magistrate Courts

Magistrate Courts have limited jurisdiction over civil ordinance violations, criminal ordinance violations, preliminary criminal hearings, Orders of Protection and Injunctions Against Harassment.

Magistrate Courts may exercise jurisdiction over certain juvenile delinquency cases, including ordinance violations. If a Magistrate is acting as a juvenile hearing officer, the Magistrate does not have jurisdiction over felony criminal charges brought against a juvenile.

Arizona Court Notes

Orders of Protection:

Injunctions Against Harassment and Domestic Violence Protection Orders can generally be filed in Superior Courts, Justice Courts and Magistrate Courts. If a Domestic Violence Protection Order involves pending cases for paternity, maternity, annulment or divorce, the request must be filed in Superior Court.

Tribal Courts:

Arizona has a separate Tribal Courts system, and some Tribal Court orders can be enforced in Superior Courts.

Where to find court cases in Arizona

The chart below gives general information on the types of cases heard in each type of court in Arizona.
 

Most Cases = Most or all cases.     Some Cases = Some cases.

Case Type Court Type
CivilSuperior CourtsJustice CourtsMunicipal CourtsMagistrate Courts
General Civil - Unlimited
Most or all General Civil - Unlimited cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
General Civil - Limited
Some General Civil - Limited cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Most or all General Civil - Limited cases can be found in the Justice Courts
  
Small Claims 
Most or all Small Claims cases can be found in the Justice Courts
  
Civil Equity
Most or all Civil Equity cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Complex Commercial
Most or all Complex Commercial cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Foreclosures and Liens
Most or all Foreclosures and Liens cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Some Foreclosures and Liens cases can be found in the Justice Courts
  
Real Estate Title and Boundary
Most or all Real Estate Title and Boundary cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Landlord / Tenant
Some Landlord / Tenant cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Most or all Landlord / Tenant cases can be found in the Justice Courts
  
Ordinance Violations 
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Justice Courts
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Magistrate Courts
Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders
Most or all Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Some Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders cases can be found in the Justice Courts
 
Some Protection, No Contact, and Restraining Orders cases can be found in the Magistrate Courts
Administrative Agency Appeals
Most or all Administrative Agency Appeals cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
CriminalSuperior CourtsJustice CourtsMunicipal CourtsMagistrate Courts
Felony
Most or all Felony cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Felony Preliminary Hearings
Some Felony Preliminary Hearings cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Some Felony Preliminary Hearings cases can be found in the Justice Courts
Some Felony Preliminary Hearings cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Some Felony Preliminary Hearings cases can be found in the Magistrate Courts
Misdemeanors
Some Misdemeanors cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Some Misdemeanors cases can be found in the Justice Courts
Some Misdemeanors cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
 
Ordinance Violations 
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Justice Courts
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Some Ordinance Violations cases can be found in the Magistrate Courts
Juvenile
Most or all Juvenile cases can be found in the Superior Courts
  
Some Juvenile cases can be found in the Magistrate Courts
Traffic and Infractions  
Some Traffic and Infractions cases can be found in the Municipal Courts
Some Traffic and Infractions cases can be found in the Magistrate Courts
Domestic RelationsSuperior CourtsJustice CourtsMunicipal CourtsMagistrate Courts
Divorce
Most or all Divorce cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Child Custody and Visitation
Most or all Child Custody and Visitation cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Child Support
Most or all Child Support cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Paternity
Most or all Paternity cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Domestic Violence Protection Order
Most or all Domestic Violence Protection Order cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Some Domestic Violence Protection Order cases can be found in the Justice Courts
 
Some Domestic Violence Protection Order cases can be found in the Magistrate Courts
JuvenileSuperior CourtsJustice CourtsMunicipal CourtsMagistrate Courts
Adoptions
Most or all Adoptions cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Juvenile Delinquency
Most or all Juvenile Delinquency cases can be found in the Superior Courts
  
Some Juvenile Delinquency cases can be found in the Magistrate Courts
Child Abuse and Neglect
Most or all Child Abuse and Neglect cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Termination of Parental Rights
Most or all Termination of Parental Rights cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Children in Need of Supervision
Most or all Children in Need of Supervision cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Mental HealthSuperior CourtsJustice CourtsMunicipal CourtsMagistrate Courts
Involuntary Commitments
Most or all Involuntary Commitments cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Other Mental Health Cases
Most or all Other Mental Health Cases cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
ProbateSuperior CourtsJustice CourtsMunicipal CourtsMagistrate Courts
Wills & Estates
Most or all Wills & Estates cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Name Changes
Most or all Name Changes cases can be found in the Superior Courts
Some Name Changes cases can be found in the Justice Courts
  
Trusts
Most or all Trusts cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
Guardianships and Conservatorships
Most or all Guardianships and Conservatorships cases can be found in the Superior Courts
   
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