Courts in Arizona
| More information on Arizona's state courts: |
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| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In Arizona, there is one federal district court, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, trial courts, and tribal courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
The image below depicts the flow of cases through Arizona's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
Judicial selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in Arizona and Arizona judicial elections
Selection of state court judges in Arizona occurs through a variety of methods, varying by level of court and (in the case of the superior courts) by county population. The two appellate courts rely on what is known as the Missouri Plan, while the superior courts employ a mix of partisan elections, nonpartisan elections, and merit selection.[1]
Across the state's appellate and trial courts, there are seven supreme court justices, 28 courts of appeal judges, and 180 superior court judges.[2][3]
Judges of the Arizona Supreme Court and Arizona Court of Appeals serve initial terms of at least two years, after which they stand for retention. Subsequent terms are six years in length for both courts. Judges of the Arizona Superior Court in Coconino, Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa counties serve an initial term of two years, followed by four-year terms if retained. Superior court judges in other counties and judges of the Arizona Justice Courts also serve four-year terms, with no initial two-year term.[4]
Elected judges' terms take effect on the first Monday in January following their election.[5]
To read more about judicial elections in Arizona, click here.
Federal courts
The federal district court in Arizona is the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.
Appeals from the district court go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
Active Judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 23, 2008 - |
Brigham Young University, 1984 |
Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School, 1987 |
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| October 5, 2011 - |
University of Arizona, 1986 |
Georgetown University Law Center, 1990 |
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| May 16, 2014 - |
Arizona State University, 1987 |
Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, 1993 |
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| May 16, 2014 - |
West Virginia University, 1987 |
Arizona State University Law School, 1994 |
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| May 16, 2014 - |
University of Louisville, 1988 |
University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1992 |
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| May 19, 2014 - |
University of Arizona, 1990 |
University of Arizona Law, 1993 |
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| September 10, 2018 - |
Dartmouth College, 1998 |
Harvard Law School, 2002 |
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| October 23, 2018 - |
University of Wisconsin, 1990 |
University of Wisconsin Law School, 1994 |
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| August 5, 2019 - |
Arizona State University, 1998 |
Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, 2002 |
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| May 27, 2020 - |
University of Arizona, 1985 |
University of Arizona College of Law, 1991 |
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| September 29, 2020 - |
University of California, Santa Barbara, 1991 |
University of Arizona College of Law, 1996 |
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| June 3, 2024 - |
Yale University, 2002 |
Yale University, 2007 |
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| July 2, 2024 - |
University of Arizona, 1995 |
University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, 2000 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 7
- Republican appointed: 6
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
State supreme court
- See also: Arizona Supreme Court
Founded in February 1912, the Arizona Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort. The chief justice of the court is Robert Brutinel. Seven justices serve on the court. It has administrative supervision over all the other courts, and it hears appeals of decisions from the Court of Appeals, as well as appeals in special cases from the Superior Court. Special cases include those involving the death penalty and some involving elected officials or disputes between counties.[6]
The following judges sit on the court:
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Supreme Court | James P. Beene | Nonpartisan | 2019 |
| Arizona Supreme Court | Clint Bolick | Nonpartisan | January 5, 2016 |
| Arizona Supreme Court | Robert Brutinel | Nonpartisan | 2010 |
| Arizona Supreme Court | Kathryn Hackett King | Nonpartisan | July 8, 2021 |
| Arizona Supreme Court | John Lopez IV | Nonpartisan | 2017 |
| Arizona Supreme Court | Bill Montgomery | Nonpartisan | September 9, 2019 |
| Arizona Supreme Court | Ann Timmer | Nonpartisan | 2012 |
State court of appeals
- See also: Arizona Court of Appeals
The Arizona Court of Appeals, further divided into two divisions, is the intermediate court in the state. Division One, based in Phoenix, consists of 16 judges, and has jurisdiction in the western and northern regions of the state, along with the greater Phoenix area. Division Two is based in Tucson and has six judges. The court has jurisdiction over the southern regions of the state, including the Tucson area. Judges are selected in a method similar to the one used for the state Supreme Court justices.[7]
The following judges sit on the court:
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
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2006 - Present |
Janet Napolitano |
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2017 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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January 18, 2023 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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January 18, 2023 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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2012 - Present |
Janice Kay Brewer |
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September 29, 2017 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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September 29, 2017 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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October 17, 2016 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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2012 - Present |
Janice Kay Brewer |
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2018 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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2019 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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April 24, 2020 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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February 8, 2013 - Present |
Janice Kay Brewer |
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March 1, 2023 - Present |
Katie Hobbs |
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January 18, 2023 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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2003 - Present |
Janet Napolitano |
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2017 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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December 29, 2022 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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January 2, 2023 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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October 20, 2015 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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April 12, 2017 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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April 12, 2017 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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2007 - Present |
Janet Napolitano |
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November 1, 2019 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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October 26, 2021 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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January 18, 2023 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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January 18, 2023 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
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December 30, 2020 - Present |
Doug Ducey |
Trial courts
Superior courts
- See also: Arizona Superior Court
Each county of Arizona has a superior court, which is a trial court of general jurisdiction. The size and organization of individual superior courts are varied and generally depend upon the size of the particular county. The superior courts also hear appeals from the Arizona Justice Courts.
Justice courts
- See also: Arizona Justice Courts
The Arizona Justice Courts are trial courts of limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases in Arizona. Appeals of Justice Court rulings are heard by the Arizona Superior Court.[8]
Municipal courts
- See also: Arizona Municipal Courts
The Arizona Municipal Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction over city and town ordinance violations in Arizona. These courts also share Jurisdiction with the Justice of the Peace Courts over violations of State law committed within the limits of the city or town.[9]
Tribal courts
The Tribal Council of the Hopi Reservation in Arizona established the Hopi Tribal Courts in 1972. The Hopi Judiciary is divided into the Hopi Trial Court, with original jurisdiction over Hopi legal matters, and the Hopi Appellate Court, which hears appeals from the trial court.[10][11]
In other states
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Arizona," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ Azcourts.gov, "How Arizona Courts are Organized," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ The Arizona Republic, "Ducey appoints 6 appeals court judges as his term winds down," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Judicial Branch, "Article 6, Section 37: Judicial vacancies and appointments; initial terms; residence; age," accessed April 10, 2023
- ↑ US Legal, "Arizona State Courts," accessed May 22, 2014
- ↑ Azcourts.gov, "AZ Courts," accessed March 1, 2021
- ↑ Arizona Judicial Branch, "How Arizona Courts are Organized," accessed March 1, 2021
- ↑ Arizona Judicial Branch, "Superior Court," accessed March 1, 2021
- ↑ Arizona Judicial Branch, "City Courts," accessed March 1, 2021
- ↑ Hopi Indian Tribe", Law and Order Code"
- ↑ Hopi Tribal Courts, "Welcome," accessed March 1, 2021
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Arizona • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Arizona
State courts:
Arizona Supreme Court • Arizona Court of Appeals • Arizona Superior Court • Arizona Justice Courts • Arizona Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Arizona • Arizona judicial elections • Judicial selection in Arizona
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