Maricopa County Courts
Quick answer
Maricopa County has three types of state trial courts: the Superior Court, the Justice Courts, and the municipal courts. Each hears a different category of case, and each has its own filing rules, records, and locations. Which court hears a case is set by jurisdiction and venue, not by where a process server happens to find the person being served.
Three Types of State Trial Courts
General jurisdiction
Superior Court
Civil, family, probate, and major criminal matters.
One court for the entire county, operating across several downtown Phoenix and regional facilities.
Open directory26 precincts
Justice Courts
Evictions, small claims, limited civil matters, and applicable criminal proceedings.
Twenty-six precincts, each with a defined geographic boundary, operating from seven court buildings.
Open directory22 courts
Municipal Courts
Traffic, misdemeanors, ordinance violations, and eligible protective-order proceedings.
One court per city or town, with a few municipalities sharing a consolidated court.
Open directoryThis library covers the institutions themselves: what each court hears, where it operates, and where to find its own official information. It is a reference for attorneys, landlords, property managers, and process servers who need to know which court a matter belongs to before anything is filed or served.
Maricopa County is the largest county in Arizona by population, and the volume of filings across all three court types is correspondingly large. Most service assignments in the county relate to a case pending in one of these courts, because service exists to give a court jurisdiction over a party. Not all of them do: assignments also arise from other Arizona counties, out-of-state and federal courts, and administrative proceedings.
Which Court Hears What
The categories below are the ordinary division of work between the three courts. A specific filing can still depend on the amount in controversy, the parties, and the statute the claim is brought under, so confirm the correct court before filing.
| Matter | Court |
|---|---|
| Eviction / forcible detainer | Justice Court |
| Small claims | Justice Court |
| Civil claim within the justice court limit | Justice Court |
| Divorce, custody, support | Superior Court (family) |
| Probate, guardianship, mental health | Superior Court |
| Civil litigation above the justice court limit | Superior Court |
| Felony criminal | Superior Court |
| Civil traffic and parking tickets | Municipal Court |
| City ordinance and misdemeanor charges | Municipal Court |
| Orders of protection and injunctions against harassment | Superior Court, Justice Court or Municipal Court, depending on filing |
Justice Court civil jurisdiction is capped by statute, and small claims sit under a lower cap within it. See A.R.S. § 22-201 and § 22-503 for the current figures rather than relying on a number quoted on a website.
Court Jurisdiction Is Not Service Location
Two different questions get blended together in practice. The first is which court will hear the case. The second is where the papers may lawfully be handed over.
Venue answers the first question. In Justice Court, A.R.S. § 22-202 generally places a civil action in the precinct where the defendant resides, subject to the statute's exceptions. In Superior Court, venue is governed by the civil venue statutes. In municipal court, the case is tied to the city whose ordinance or charter is at issue.
The service rules answer the second. An Arizona defendant may ordinarily be served personally anywhere in Arizona, or by the permitted substitute methods at their dwelling or usual place of abode. A precinct boundary or a city limit does not confine where service may be performed, and a process server does not need to serve inside the court's boundary for the service to be valid.
In short: the court is fixed by venue; the service address is fixed by where the defendant can be found and lawfully served. Fast Serve AZ handles the second question and does not select venues, give legal advice, or file documents.
County Coverage at a Glance
26
Justice Court precincts currently operating, each with its own precinct page in this library.
Justice Court directory22
Municipal courts in the county, counted once each. Carefree and Cave Creek share one consolidated court.
Municipal court directoryOne Superior Court for the whole county
The Superior Court is a single court with several divisions and multiple facilities around the metro area. Its divisions are not separate courts.
Superior Court guideOfficial Judicial Resources
Primary authorities
- A.R.S. § 22-201 — Justice court civil jurisdiction
- A.R.S. § 22-202 — Venue of civil actions in justice court
- Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure
- Maricopa County Justice Courts — court locations
Statutes and rules should be checked against their current official version. This page summarizes public information; it is not legal advice.
Independent resource
Fast Serve AZ is an independent process-serving company. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for any court, county, or government agency, and we do not provide court information on any court's behalf. Filing, records, scheduling, and clerk services are handled by the courts and the Clerk of the Superior Court.
Related reading
- Arizona CourtsThe statewide court system and how its courts differ.
- Maricopa County Justice CourtsAll 26 precincts and how venue is determined.
- Maricopa County Superior CourtDivisions, facilities, filing, and records.
- Maricopa County Municipal CourtsEvery municipal court in the county, verified.
- Justice Court vs Superior CourtWhere a case belongs, and why it matters for service.
- Service of Process in ArizonaHow legal notice is delivered and proved.
Looking for Service in Maricopa County?
This library explains the courts. If you need papers delivered in Maricopa County, the service coverage page is a separate resource covering how assignments are handled across the county and its cities.
Maricopa County process serving