Arizona Legal Resources

Overview of the Arizona Court System

The variety of legal issues faced by Arizona residents on a regular basis may seem overwhelming at first, but knowing a bit about the state's courts and legal paperwork may help you know how to proceed.

City (also known as municipal) courts handle basic cases like DUI, petty offenses, traffic violations and orders of protection. They do not handle violations of state law or lawsuits. 

Justice courts at the county level handle cases involving crimes like assault and battery, underage drinking, and writing bad checks, along with landlord/tenant disputes, collections, and other lawsuits where the amount in dispute is $10,000 or less. 

Arizona Superior Court, with a location in each county, hears a wide variety of cases. All original cases that don't fall under the lower courts are heard in Superior Court, including civil and criminal trials, tax issues, juvenile issues, family issues, probate, arbitration, and all other matters not exclusively handled by other federal or state courts. 

Appellate courts review trials conducted by the Superior Courts. There are two main appellate courts: the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. Most decisions are appealed to the Court of Appeals, but some issues, such as those involving elected officials, county disputes, or death penalty appeals, go straight to the Supreme Court. Decisions made by the Court of Appeals may also be appealed to the Supreme Court.

More Arizona Legal Resources

Arizona Attorneys and Lawyers

When faced with a legal issue, contacting an experienced attorney is always the best bet. At LawInfo you can search for a skilled, Lead Counsel Rated Arizona attorney by location and by practice area. 

We have Arizona attorneys who dedicate their practice to specific areas of the law, so you will not only find an attorney, but an attorney who is knowledgeable to help you with your particular legal issue.

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