Limited jurisdiction courts consist of municipal and justice courts. Based on the type of court, the cases heard vary and the judicial appointment process differs. An explanation of the two court types is found below along with a brief list of what they have jurisdiction over. Every courthouse in Arizona accepts filings for protective orders.
The general jurisdiction court is the Superior Court of Arizona, a statewide trial court. This court hears the widest variety of cases. Each county has at least one superior court facility, and it is referred to by its county location—for example, the Superior Court in Maricopa County. Click here to find the Superior Court locations in Arizona.
The Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court are the appellate courts in Arizona. The state appellate courts have jurisdiction to review trials and decisions appealed to them. The two divisions of the Court of Appeals hear most of the appeals that come from the superior court, except for death penalty appeals and some cases involving elected officials and disputes between counties, which go directly to the Supreme Court.
To appeal a decision from the Court of Appeals, the appellant must file a petition for review by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court justices evaluate the petitions for review and decide whether they will hear the case. Unlike the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court is not required to hear every appeal.
