Appellate Jurisdiction Courts

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.