Attorneys have many reasons for keeping informed of Arizona courts and judges news and trends. Attorneys need to keep track of appointments as judges die or retire in order to correctly file papers with the court. Courts may change their procedures and administrative rules, which can affect the way that attorneys do their jobs. Attorneys also may want to know a judge’s legal education and background, as it may affect how a judge comes to a decision.

Anyone who wishes to stay current on news related to courts in Arizona should identify key legal websites in Arizona and check them periodically for updates. The best sources of information on news and trends on Arizona courts and judges include the following:

1. Independent news sources on Arizona judges and courts, such as blogs, newspapers and magazines. These sources are the most likely to provide unbiased opinions or news about a court or judge.
2. Court websites. These sites are the best source of official news and trends, such as current appointments and court decisions.
3. Organizations for legal professionals. Meetings of these organizations provide opportunities to get inside news information on courts and judges.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Study sources of unbiased news and trends for AZ courts and judges

Journalists frequently report on news and events that affect the Arizona judiciary in online newspapers and magazines. Attorneys and law professors also may provide opinions on recent court decisions in blogs and journals.

I recommend: The Zonie Report is dedicated to reporting news on current cases in Arizona courts. AZ Judges Review is a blog that posts news about judges in Arizona.

Review websites for courts in Arizona to get official news and other information

Arizona courts and judges websites are the best places to get current news about judges for a particular court, as well as information about upcoming appointments and retirements. An Arizona court also may publish important court decisions and opinions on the official website, which can help attorneys stay informed of the latest ruling trends.

I recommend: The Arizona Judicial Branch provides information about news and events in the Arizona judiciary. The Judicial Branch of Arizona, Maricopa County offers current news releases related to legal events in Maricopa County courts.

Join professional legal organizations to get inside news on courts in Arizona

Arizona bar and attorney organizations hold meetings to evaluate and discuss legal news and trends. These meetings also provide an opportunity to hear from attorneys who actually have tried cases before a particular justice court in Arizona.

I recommend: The State Bar of Arizona has current news releases and scheduled meetings to stay current on Arizona county judges. The Mojave County Bar Association has regular meetings, both formal and informal, that allow for an exchange of information on courts and judges in Arizona.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  There also are online forums dedicated to news and trends in courts in Arizona. These forums may have a separate directory for each court and typically invite readers to discuss and evaluate news on courts and judges based on personal experience. The evaluation methods may consist of surveys, polls and votes that include reader comments.

A basic knowledge of Arizona courts and judges can be very beneficial if you ever find yourself in the courtroom. All too often individuals and businesses find the need to file a lawsuit, or are at the receiving end of a lawsuit, and their lack of knowledge on how the court system works leaves them lost in the proceedings. Regardless of the circumstances that put you there, it helps to understand the court process and know a little about the individual overseeing your case.

It’s important to understand that there are multiple courts in each state that oversee different types of cases. Each of these courts have judges that administer the law and case process. When considering Arizona courts and Arizona judges, keep the following in mind:

1. There are 15 counties and each contains a superior court in Arizona with jurisdiction limited to that particular county.

2. The Supreme Court and Arizona Courts of Appeals only hear appellate cases.

3. Records are available on case filings from bankruptcy courts in Arizona.

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Locate Arizona courts and judges

Each of the 15 Arizona counties contains a superior court that oversees court proceeds for that particular county. Several precincts make up each county and each precinct contains a Justice court in Arizona. Generally, justice and superior courts in Arizona hear civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile cases. Additionally, many Arizona towns have a municipal court for traffic and parking violations and some minor criminal offenses.

I recommend: Find a court house in Arizona on the Arizona Courts Locator Map. Sift through court cases in Arizona on the Public Access to Court Information search database.

File an appeal with the Supreme Court and Arizona Court of Appeals

The Arizona Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals hear only appellate cases. The purpose of an appellate court is to review the trial transcript and original evidence of a case to determine if there were any errors in the original case decision. There are no witnesses, jurors or new evidence in a case heard before the Arizona appellate courts and their decisions are final. There are seven judges in Arizona Supreme Court. The Arizona Courts of Appeals has two divisions. Division One is in Phoenix and Division Two is in Tucson.

I recommend: Locate Arizona Court of Appeals opinions by searching for a case on the ODSPlus Case Information page. Find a list of Arizona judges on the Arizona Court of Appeals Division One website, including links to biographical information. Obtain more information about the judges and duties of the Arizona Supreme Court.

Access records from bankruptcy courts in Arizona

Whether you need to search for a bankruptcy filing on a debtor or determine if bankruptcy is an option for you or your company, the Arizona Bankruptcy Court can assist you with both. The US Bankruptcy Court - District of Arizona provides information on the basics for bankruptcy filing and contact information for trustees and bankruptcy attorneys. Additionally, you can conduct an online search of bankruptcy court cases in Arizona through the PACER system (Public Access to Court Electronic Records).

I recommend: Obtain answers to frequently asked bankruptcy questions on the US Bankruptcy Court –District of Arizona website. Visit the bankruptcy court records search on the District of Arizona Document Filing System.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Regardless of how much knowledge you have of courts and judges in Arizona, you should hire an attorney who specializes in your specific type of case to represent you.

As in every other state in this litigation-prone nation, business owners in Arizona just accept the fact that they need to acquire basic knowledge of Arizona courts and judges. Even if a business owner is never sued, he still needs to know how to defend himself in a small claims court matter should the need arise. He also accepts how essential it is to perform comprehensive background searches through court records on any potential employees.

Arizona state court and legal websites provide answers to the most frequently asked questions that a beginner in this subject can have. The most dependable sources of information on Arizona courts and judges for beginners are easily accessible in the following places:

1. Get an overview of AZ courts so you'll understand court organization and jurisdiction.

2. Know how to contact the AZ judges and courts that will be deciding your case.

3. Learn how to perform basic searches for courts in Arizona records on a variety of topics.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn about the composition and structure of AZ courts

As a beginner, your first step is to know how the state courts are organized. This includes determining who is chiefly responsible for the administration and each court's subject matter jurisdiction. If your company wants to file a small claims petition, access the small claims court to know the maximum amount in dispute and the procedures this special tribunal follows.

I recommend: Start with Guide to Arizona Courts, which provides a topical index showing the structure of state courts, as well as links to the courts' websites. Move on to the Judicial Branch of Arizona, Maricopa County, which can answer your questions about small claims courts. Common questions asked include what kinds of cases these courts hear, what procedures they follow and how to file a small claims petition. Westlaw gets you the Arizona court rules for Supreme, Superior, Civil Appellate and Criminal courts. Civil Traffic Court Information offers basic know-how, such as fines for guilty pleas and how to contest a citation in court.

Locate courts and judges in Arizona that preside over your case

If you're representing yourself, you'll have to do all the legwork, such as finding out the filing fees for court documents, staying informed of critical events on the court calendar and knowing how to deal with the court clerk and judge's staff. Or, if you're appearing before an Arizona District Court Judge on a case involving zoning issues and you'd like to know about the judge's political leanings.

I recommend: The Arizona Courts Locator gets you the contact information for offices and presiding judges in appellate, supreme and county courts. Use the website for the Coconino County Courts to understand the court's mission, its organization and how its staff helps the community. Go to the Arizona Judges Review for a listing of state supreme and appeals court judges along with their educational and professional experience.

Perform basic searches through records maintained by courts in Arizona

As you pursue information for Arizona courts and judges for beginners, it helps to focus on acquiring practical experience by searching through court documents. Examples include verifying an employee's birth, death, marriage or even whether the employee has a criminal record.

I recommend: The Records Project gets you instant access to Arizona court records so you can perform a full-scale background search on any potential employee or even determine vital information on current employees. The data base available at Arizona Judicial Branch allows public access to case information on more than 150 courts and court cases in Arizona. You can search by party name if you're not sure of the case number.

If you’ve never found yourself in an Arizona court room, you as a business owner operating in Arizona should still acquire a basic understanding of the state’s judicial system. All businesses are impacted by state court decisions. That’s why business owners scrutinize the backgrounds of the judges making these decisions as well as the facts that determined the outcome of the cases. With a quick overview of some descriptive terms, you can brush up on key points about Arizona courts and judges.

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Arizona Court of Appeals

Arizona's Court of Appeals hears civil and criminal cases that were appealed from the state's superior court. The Court's 22 judges are divided into two groups, one in Phoenix and the other in Tucson. Appointed to the Court by the governor, the Court of Appeals judges complete an initial period on the bench before the voters decide whether they should be retained. If retained, each judge is limited to a six-year term.

I recommend: The State of Arizona explains how Judges are nominated to the Court. You’ll also learn about the procedure Judges follow as they decide cases.

Arizona Code of Judicial Administration

The Arizona Code of Judicial Administration has roots in the state's constitution. Courts in every state must operate according to certain administrative rules and procedures. According to Arizona's Code, the state's Supreme Court oversees administration of all local, county and appellate courts in Arizona.

I recommend: Find out more about the administrative policies that make up the Arizona Code of Judicial Administration by checking out the Supreme Court of Arizona.

Adversary proceeding

The term adversary proceeding refers to the lawsuit brought by a plaintiff against a defendant. The lawsuit may relate to either federal or state law, or both. The suit formally begins when the plaintiff files a Complaint with a court identifying how he believes he has been wronged by the defendant.

I recommend: Go to the Bankruptcy Court of Arizona for insight on the general process that an adversary proceeding takes in that state.

Arizona Commission on Judicial Performance

The Arizona Commission on Judicial Performance supervises the official conduct of all judges in the state. The purpose is to ensure that judges follow performance standards set by the Commission. The judges' conduct on the bench is reviewed by the Commission and the results provided to Arizona's voters.

I recommend: Learn how the Commission gathers and analyzes this data at Arizona Judges. You can also find out how the Commission’s members vote on the results.

Judicial system

The term judicial system refers to the structure of Arizona's courts and judges. In Arizona, the judicial system operates with a Supreme Court as the highest state court, followed by the Court of Appeals, the Superior Courts and finally, justice courts in the counties.City-Data.com's outline of Arizona's judicial system gives a brief history of some of the state's courts. Find out how many superior court judges Arizona has and the counties they hear cases in.

I recommend: City-Data.com’s outline of Arizona’s judicial system gives a brief history of some of the state’s courts. Find out how many superior court judges Arizona has and the counties they hear cases in.

Arizona court records

Citizens in the state are permitted by law to access the Arizona court records that are considered public. Whether a record is public or not is decided by statute.

I recommend: Find out the procedure you’ll have to follow in order to access Arizona court records at The Records Project.