Arizona Case Law

The Arizona state court system is divided into three levels. The highest court in Arizona is the Arizona Supreme Court, which consists of seven justices. The Supreme Court reviews appeals of decisions by the Arizona Court of Appeals. It also reviews appeals of decisions by trial courts in limited situations. Decisions by the Arizona Supreme Court are final unless the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear an appeal of a decision.

The middle level of the Arizona state court system is the Arizona Court of Appeals, which is separated into two divisions. Division One is based in Phoenix and consists of 16 judges, while Division Two is based in Tucson and consists of six judges. Division One reviews appeals in cases that originated in the northern and western regions of Arizona, while Division Two reviews appeals in cases that originated in the southern regions of Arizona.

The lowest level of the Arizona state court system consists of the Arizona Superior Courts, the Arizona Justice Courts, and the Arizona Municipal Courts. The Superior Courts are trial courts with general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. These courts also review appeals of decisions by Justice Courts and Municipal Courts. The jurisdiction of the Justice Courts is limited to certain types of cases. These include misdemeanors, traffic violations, landlord-tenant disputes, and civil matters with no more than $10,000 at issue. The Municipal Courts review cases that involve violations of municipal laws and violations of state laws that were committed in a city or town.

The Hopi Reservation in Arizona has its own court system, which includes the Hopi Trial Court and the Hopi Appellate Court. These courts issue decisions under tribal law, which is a separate body of law from Arizona state law.