Which Arizona court hears your civil case
Civil jurisdiction thresholds with statutory authority. Source: 1Court Directory, verified 2026-08-20 (official source).
| Tier | Court | Amount in controversy | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small claims | Justice Court: Small Claims Division | Up to $3,500 | A.R.S. § 22-503 |
| Limited civil | Justice Court Exclusive civil jurisdiction to $10,000. | Up to $10,000 | A.R.S. § 22-201 |
| General civil | Superior Court Over $10,000. | No limit | Ariz. Const. art. VI, § 14 |
Answer deadline after service
A defendant generally has 20 days after service of the summons and complaint to file an answer (Ariz. R. Civ. P. 12(a)).
Estimates from the statutory answer period; service-method extensions and local rules can change these dates. Verify before relying on them. Not legal advice.
21 Arizona forms SimpleCase prepares
Generated from your uploaded complaint, with captions and terminology matched to Arizona practice. Every document is a draft for attorney review.
- 5-day notice to pay rent or quit(pattern) A.R.S. § 33-1368(B): pre-filing notice; verify service method
- Complaint (special detainer)(pattern) A.R.S. §§ 33-1377, 12-1171 et seq.: Justice Court
- Notice of Appearance(pattern) Appearance of counsel; service on undersigned requested
- Motion for Continuance(pattern) Good-cause continuance with proposed order
- Notice of Deposition(pattern) Oral deposition with optional duces tecum; recording method per rule
- Civil Subpoena(pattern) Testimony and/or production (duces tecum); issuance and witness-fee rules vary
- Answer(pattern) Responsive pleading: denials and affirmative defenses
- Satisfaction of Judgment(pattern) acknowledgment of satisfaction for entry on the docket
- Complaint(pattern) Ariz. R. Civ. P. 3, 8: Superior Court; Justice Court to $10,000: initiating pleading
- SummonsARCP Rule 4: 20/30-day answer, 90-day service deadline
- Civil Cover SheetRequired in Maricopa, Pima, and most AZ counties
- Affidavit of ServiceARCP Rule 4.2: process server's sworn return
- Fee Waiver / Deferral ApplicationACJA § 5-206
- Voluntary DismissalARCP Rule 41(a)
- Application for Entry of DefaultARCP 55(a): Step 1, clerk enters default, 10 biz day wait
- Sum Certain AffidavitRequired with default packet: damages computation
- Affidavit of Non-Military ServiceSCRA: 50 U.S.C. § 3931
- Default JudgmentARCP 55(b): Step 2, judge/commissioner signs after 10-day wait
- Writ of Garnishment: EarningsA.R.S. § 12-1570: wage garnishment (25% / 30x min wage)
- Writ of Garnishment: Non-EarningsA.R.S. § 12-1570: bank accounts & third-party property
- Summons (Maricopa Justice Court)(pattern of form 8150-101) Justice Court civil to $10,000: the Maricopa collections venue
Filing packages
One click assembles the forms a Arizona matter typically needs at each stage.
Eviction: Notice & Filing
5-day notice to pay rent or quit · Complaint (special detainer)
General Civil
Complaint · Summons · Civil Cover Sheet · Affidavit of Service
Collections: File & Serve
Complaint · Summons · Civil Cover Sheet · Affidavit of Service
Collections: Default Judgment
Application for Entry of Default · Sum Certain Affidavit · Affidavit of Non-Military Service · Default Judgment
Collections: Enforce Judgment
Satisfaction of Judgment · Writ of Garnishment: Earnings · Writ of Garnishment: Non-Earnings
Fee Waiver / Deferral
Fee Waiver / Deferral Application
Voluntary Dismissal
Voluntary Dismissal
County-level court details
Filing fees, clerk contacts, e-filing portals, and courthouse addresses for every Arizona county are in the 1Court Directory: Arizona.
How it works
Upload your case document
PDF, Word, image, or text. SimpleCase extracts parties, claims, amounts, and dates.
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For unfiled cases, SimpleCase suggests the county, court level, and courthouse, with the statutory basis shown.
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Every required form, filled and assembled as a ZIP, ready for attorney review and filing.
Turn a complaint into a filing-ready case
Your first 3 cases are free. No card required.
Try SimpleCase freeSimpleCase prepares document drafts for attorney review; it is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Court data on this page is sourced from the 1Court Directory with the verification date shown, and statutes and court rules change: always confirm current requirements, deadlines, and fees with the clerk of the court before filing.