Arizona Court Records Search
The Superior Courts in Arizona have general jurisdiction in the state. Each county has at least one Superior Court. In counties with more than one judge, they are assigned, divisions. Each county is required to have at least one Superior Court judge, and for every 30,000 residents, an extra judge is permitted. Each judge must be over the age of 30. They must have practiced law for at least five years before becoming a judge. They must be of “good moral character” and a resident of the county where they are elected. There are 180 Superior Court judges, and they each serve a four-year term.
Each Superior Court also has an elected Superior Court Clerk who works a four-year term maintaining court records, case files, collecting fees, issuing summonses, marriage licenses and subpoenas.
The types of cases heard in Arizona Superior Courts are real property, tax, assessment, toll or municipal ordinance cases. Other examples are criminal cases for both felonies and misdemeanors and property value cases of $1,000 or more. Nuisances, probate, and divorce cases are also resolved through Superior Courts. Additionally, cases of annulment, naturalization and special cases that do not fall within the jurisdiction of other courts are tried in Superior Court.
In counties with more than one Superior Court judge, special juvenile courts are created, and one of the Superior Court judges preside over this court. They handle things like delinquency, incorrigibility, and dependency. Tax Courts are also specialized courts that branch off from Superior Courts and use their judges to preside over tax-related cases.
Superior Courts act as the appeal court for Municipal and Justice of the Peace Courts and then cases proceed to the Court of Appeals from there. This court also acts as the probation supervisor for adults and juveniles who are on probation in the state.