How Do Arizona Justice Courts Work?

Arizona Justice Courts are trial courts limited jurisdiction. Cases heard in Justice courts include both civil and criminal matters. While appeals are usually first made to the Superior Courts of the state, Arizona Justice Courts have jurisdiction over civil lawsuits valued at $10,000 and below, such as:

• Landlord and tenants’ disputes
• Evictions and closures
• Consumer complaints
• Negligence offenses
• Breach of contract
• Small claims of $3,500 or less

Criminal offenses tried in Justice Courts border on misdemeanors as defined by state laws include:

• Writing bad checks
• Assault
• Battery
• All cases of Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
• Violations of protection orders and injunctions about harassment
• Juvenile alcoholism
• All traffic violations

Judges that preside over cases in these courts are known as “Justices of the Peace.” The court elects Constables alongside the Justices of the Peace in Arizona. If nobody is filling the Constable’s position, it is the county sheriff’s responsibility to handle the office’s obligations, powers, and liabilities. A Justice of the Peace is not necessarily required to be an attorney, but must meet the following requirements; they must be

• A registered voter of the state
• A resident in the neighborhood of the local Justice Court
• Proficiency in reading and writing the English language
• Must be at least 18 years old

A tenure lasts four years and is renewable by re-election.

The sitting locations of the Justice Courts have records of cases held in their precincts. Any person interested in these records should visit the site. Information about cases is forwarded to the Superior Court clerk’s office for county record compilation purposes. Counties like Maricopa have many sitting locations, so it is essential to know the exact site which heard the case. It will make it easier for the court staff to search for the record of interest. All publicly accessible court record information is released only upon a formal written request. Personal data, minors’ data, and records under seal by court order are not accessible unless the requester meets the eligibility requirements or has a court order ordering the document to be released.

The type of case filed with Justice Courts and adjoining complexities determine how much time the court proceedings will take. Unless there are extensive administrative processes involved, such as cases involving the state, it takes a shorter period to process civil cases. Those that do not include jury trials even take less time by principle. Felony or criminal cases take longer because of the more detailed process of justice it entails. However, there are time limits for actions such as filing cases and responding to a summons. The statute of limitations in the state does not accept cases filed beyond two years from the incident date. Defendants must respond to the papers served by the court twenty days from the service date.

Each county has at least one Justice Court. Larger counties have multiple court locations. In all, there are 85 precincts in the state. Their addresses are as follows:

Chinle

US Hwy 191 MP 447

Chinle, AZ 86503

P. O. Box 888

Chinle, AZ 86503

Phone: (928) 674–5922

Fax: (928) 674–5926

Puerco (Sanders)

Apache County Rd 7080

Sanders, AZ 86512

P. O. Box 610

Sanders, AZ 86512

Phone: (928) 688–2729

Fax: (928) 688–2244

Round Valley

130 South Mountain Ave

Springerville, AZ 85938

PO Box 1356

Springerville, AZ 86938

Phone: (928) 333–4613

Fax: (928) 333–4205

St. Johns

70 W 3rd South

St. Johns, AZ 85936

P. O. Box 308

St. Johns, AZ 85936

Phone: (928) 337–7558

Fax: (928) 337–2683

Bisbee Justice Court #1

207 North Judd Dr

Bisbee, AZ 85603

Phone: (520) 432–9540

Douglas Justice Court #2

1012 N. G Ave Ste 237

Douglas, AZ 85607

Phone: (520) 805–5640

Benson Justice Court #3

126 W. 5th St

Benson, AZ 85602

Phone: (520) 586–8100

Fax: (520) 586–8117

Willcox Justice Court #4

450 S. Haskell Ave

Willcox, AZ 85643

Phone: (520) 384–7000

Fax: (520) 384–7019

Sierra Vista Justice Court #5

100 Colonia de Salud

Sierra Vista, AZ 85635

Phone: (520) 803–3800

Fax: (520) 439–9106

Bowie Justice Court #6

201 North Central Ave

P. O. Box 317

Bowie, AZ 85605

Phone: (520) 847–2303

Fax: (520) 847–2242

Flagstaff Justice Court

200 N San Francisco St

Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Phone: (928) 863–2574

Fredonia Justice Court

112 N. Main St

PO Box 559

Fredonia, AZ 86022

Phone: (928) 643–7472

Page Justice Court

547 Vista Ave

Page, AZ 86040

PO Box 1565

Page, AZ 86040

Phone: (928) 645–8871

Williams Justice Court

700 W. Railroad Ave

Williams, AZ 86046

Email: williamsJP@courts.az.gov

Phone: (928) 679–7698

Fax: (928) 635–1908

Payson Regional Justice Court

714 S. Beeline Hwy. Ste 103

Payson, AZ 85541

Phone: (928) 474–5267

Fax: (928) 474–6214

Email: paysonrc@courts.az.gov

Justice of the Peace #1

800 W Main St

Safford, AZ 85546

Phone: (928) 428–1210

Fax: (928) 428–3523

Justice of the Peace #2

136 W Center St

Pima, AZ 85543

Phone: (928) 485–2771

Fax: (928) 485–9961

Precinct 1 (Clifton)

253 Fifth St

PO Box 517

Clifton, AZ 85533

Phone: (928) 865–4312

Fax: (928) 865–5644

Precinct 2 (Duncan)

1684 Fairgrounds Road

PO Box 208

Duncan, AZ 85534

Phone: (928) 359–2536

Fax: (928) 359–1936

La Paz County

Parker Justice Court

1105 W Arizona Ave

Parker, AZ85344

Phone: (928) 669–2504

Fax: (928) 669–2915

Quartzsite Justice Court

555 Plymouth Ave.

Quartzsite, AZ 85346

Phone: (928) 298–3069

Salome Justice Court

38226 Salome Rd

Salome, AZ 85348

PO Box 661

Salome, AZ 85348

Phone: 928–264–1971

Agua Fria

10420 W. Van Buren St.

Avondale, AZ 85323

Phone: (602) 372–8001

Fax: (602) 372–8201

Arcadia Biltmore

620 W Jackson St

Phoenix, AZ 85003

Phone: (602) 372–6300

Fax: (602) 372–6412

Arrowhead

14264 W. Tierra Buena Lane

Surprise, AZ 85374

Phone: (602) 372–2000

Fax: (602) 372–2620

Country Meadows

10420 W. Van Buren St.

Avondale, AZ 85323

Phone: (602) 372–8000

Fax: (602) 372–8024

Desert Ridge

18380 N. 40th St

Phoenix, AZ 85032

Phone: (602) 372–7100

Fax: (602) 372–7912

Dreamy Draw

18380 N. 40th St

Phoenix, AZ 85032

Phone: (602) 372–7000

Fax: (602) 372–7911

East Mesa

4811 E. Julep

Mesa, AZ 85205

Phone: (480) 985–0188

Encanto

620 W. Jackson

Phoenix, AZ 85003

Phone: (602) 372–6300

Fax: (602) 372–6414

Hassayampa

14264 W. Tierra Buena Lane

Surprise, AZ 85374

Phone: (602) 372–2000

Fax: (602) 372–2523

Highland

55 E. Civic Center Dr. Ste 55

Gilbert, AZ 85296

Phone: (602) 372–8300

Fax: (602) 372–8301

Ironwood

209 E. Pima St

Gila Bend, AZ 85337

Phone: (928) 683–2651

Fax: (928) 683–6412

Kyrene

201 E. Chicago St

Chandler, AZ 85225

Phone: (602) 372–3400

Fax: (602) 372–3494

Manistee

14264 W. Tierra Buena Lane

Surprise, AZ 85374

Phone: (602) 372–2000

Fax: (602) 372–2068

Maryvale

10420 W. Van Buren St.

Avondale, AZ 85323

Phone: (602) 372–8002

Fax: (602) 372–8203

McDowell Mountain

18380 N. 40th St

Phoenix, AZ 85032

Phone: (602) 372–7000

Fax: (602) 372–7910

Moon Valley

18380 N. 40th St

Phoenix, AZ 85032

Phone: (602) 372–7000

Fax: (602) 372–8025

North Mesa

1837 S. Mesa Dr

Mesa, AZ 85210

Phone: (480) 926–9731

Fax: (480) 926–7763

North Valley

14264 W. Tierra Buena Lane

Surprise, AZ 85374

Phone: (602) 372–2000

Fax: (602) 372–2066

San Marcos

201 E. Chicago St

Chandler, AZ 85225

Phone: (602) 372–3400

Fax: (602) 372–3468

San Tan

201 E. Chicago St

Chandler, AZ 85225

Phone: (602) 372–3400

Fax: (602) 372–3441

South Mountain

620 W. Jackson St

Phoenix, AZ 85003

Phone: (602) 372–6300

Fax: (602) 372–6410

University Lakes

201 E. Chicago St

Chandler, AZ 85225

Phone: (602) 372–3400

Fax: (602) 372–3414

West McDowell

620 W. Jackson

Phoenix, AZ 85003

Phone: (602) 372–6300

West Mesa

2050 W. University Dr

Mesa, AZ 85201

Phone: (480) 964–2958

Fax: (480) 969–1098

White Tank

10420 W. Van Buren St.

Avondale, AZ 85323

Phone: (602) 372–8003

Fax: (602) 372–8205

Kingman/Cerbat Justice Court

524 W. Beale St

PO Box 29

Kingman, AZ 86402

Phone: (928) 753–0710

Fax: (928) 753–7840

Bullhead City Justice Court

2225 Trane Road

Bullhead City, AZ 86442

Telephone: (928) 758–0709

Fax: (928) 758–2644

Lake Havasu Justice Court

2001 College Dr, Ste 148

Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403

Phone: (928) 453–0705, (928) 453–0733 (Civil division)

Fax: (928) 453–0711

North Canyon Consolidated Court

2100 South Hwy 389

PO Box 3160

Colorado City, AZ 86021

Phone: (928) 875–8700

Fax: (928) 875–2495

Holbrook Justice Court

121 West Buffalo St

PO Box 366

Holbrook, AZ 86025

Phone: (928) 524–4720

Fax: (928) 524–4725

Kayenta Justice Court

PO Box 38

Kayenta, AZ 86033

Phone: (928) 697–3522

Fax: (928) 697–3528

Pinetop-Lakeside Justice Court

1630 East White Mountain Blvd

PO Box 202

Lakeside, AZ 85935

Phone: (928) 368–6200

Fax: 928–368–8674

Show Low Justice Court

620 East McNeil

Show Low, AZ 85901

Phone: (928) 532–6030

Fax: (928) 532–6035

Snowflake Justice Court

145 South Main St, Ste D

Snowflake, AZ 85937

Phone: (928) 536–4141

Fax: (928) 536–3511

Winslow Justice Court

605 East 3rd St

PO Box 808

Winslow, AZ 86047

Phone: (928) 289–6840

Fax: (928) 289–6847

Ajo Justice Court

111 La Mina Ave

Ajo, AZ 85321

Phone: (520) 387–7684

Green Valley Justice Court

601 North La Canada Dr

Green Valley, AZ 85614

Phone: (520) 222–0200

Fax: (520) 648–2235

Pima County Consolidated Justice Court

240 North Stone Ave

Tucson, AZ 85701

Phone: (520) 724–3171

Florence/Coolidge Justice Court - Precinct 1

400 South Central Ave

PO Box 1818

Florence, AZ 85132

Phone: (520) 866–7194

Fax: (520) 866–7190

Casa Grande Justice Court - Precinct 2

820 East Cottonwood Lane

Casa Grande, AZ 85122

Phone: (520) 866–7475

Fax: (520) 866–7404

Eloy Justice Court - Precinct 3

801 North Main St

PO Box 586

Eloy, AZ 85131

Phone: (520) 866–7983

Fax: (520) 466–4473

Mammoth/San Manuel Justice Court - Precinct 4

116 South Catalina

PO Box 777

Mammoth, AZ 85618

Phone: (520) 487–2262

Fax: (520) 866–7839

Oracle Justice Court - Precinct 5

1470 N Justice Dr

Oracle, AZ 85623

Phone: (520) 896–9250

Fax: (520) 866–7812

Superior/Kearny Justice Court - Precinct 6

60 East Main St

Superior, AZ 85173

Phone: (520) 866–6950

Fax: (520) 689–2369

Apache Junction Justice Court - Precinct 7

Roy Hudson Complex

575 North Idaho Road, Ste 200

Apache Junction, AZ 85119

Phone: (480) 982–2921

Fax: (520) 866–6153

Maricopa/Stanfield Justice Court - Precinct 8

19955 North Wilson Ave

PO Box 201

Maricopa, AZ 85139

Phone: (520) 866–3999

Fax: (520) 866–3990

Nogales Justice Court - Precinct 1

2160 North Congress Dr.

Ste 2100

PO Box 1150

Nogales, AZ 85628

Phone: (520) 375–7762 (Civil), (520) 375–7761 (Criminal), (520) 375–7760 (Traffic)

Fax:(520)375–7652

East Santa Cruz County Justice Court - Precinct 2

3147 State Route 83,

PO Box 1330

Sonoita, AZ 85637

Phone: (520) 761–7887

Fax: (520) 455–5133

Bagdad Justice Court

100 Main St

Bagdad, AZ 86321

Phone: (928) 427–3318

Fax: (928) 771–3362

Mayer Justice Court

12840 Central Ave

PO Box 245

Mayer, AZ 86333

Phone: (928) 771–3355

Prescott Consolidated Justice, City Court

Yavapai County Courthouse

120 South Cortez St

Prescott, AZ 86303

Phone: (928) 771–3300

Seligman Justice Court (Seligman and Ash Fork)

54150 Floyd St

PO Box 56

Seligman, AZ 86337

Phone: (928) 422–3281

Fax: (928) 422–5982

Verde Valley Justice Court

10 South 6th St

Cottonwood, AZ 86326

Phone: (928) 639–5820

Fax: (928) 639–5828

Yarnell Justice Court

22591 Looka Way

PO Box 65

Yarnell, AZ 85362

Phone: (928) 427–3318

Fax: (928) 771–3362

Yuma Justice Court - Precinct 1

250 West 2nd St, Ste A

Yuma, AZ 85364

Phone: (928) 817–4100

Fax: (928) 817–4101

South County Justice Court - Precinct 2

1358 East Liberty St

PO Box 7650

San Luis, AZ 85349

Phone: (928) 314–5100

Wellton Justice Court - Precinct 3

10620 Dome St

PO Box 384, Wellton, AZ 85356

Phone: (928)785–3321