Ariz. Rev. Stat. » Title 1

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215

Definitions

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In the statutes and laws of this state, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Action" includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal.

2. "Adopted rule" means a final rule as defined in section 41-1001.

3. "Adult" means a person who has attained eighteen years of age.

4. "Alternative fuel" means:

(a) Electricity.

(b) Solar energy.

(c) Liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, hydrogen or a blend of hydrogen with liquefied petroleum or natural gas that complies with any of the following:

(i) Is used in an engine that is certified to meet at a minimum the United States environmental protection agency low emission vehicle standard pursuant to 40 Code of Federal Regulations section 88.104-94 or 88.105-94.

(ii) Is used in an engine that is certified by the engine modifier to meet the addendum to memorandum 1-A of the United States environmental protection agency as printed in the federal register, volume 62, number 207, October 27, 1997, pages 55635 through 55637.

(iii) Is used in an engine that is the subject of a waiver for that specific engine application from the United States environmental protection agency's memorandum 1-A addendum requirements and that waiver is documented to the reasonable satisfaction of the director of the department of environmental quality.

(d) Only for vehicles that use alcohol fuels before August 21, 1998, alcohol fuels that contain not less than eighty-five percent alcohol by volume.

(e) A combination of at least seventy percent alternative fuel and not more than thirty percent petroleum based fuel that operates in an engine that meets the United States environmental protection agency low emission vehicle standard pursuant to 40 Code of Federal Regulations section 88.104-94 or 88.105-94 and that is certified by the engine manufacturer to consume at least seventy percent alternative fuel during normal vehicle operations.

5. "Bribe" means anything of value or advantage, present or prospective, asked, offered, given, accepted or promised with a corrupt intent to influence, unlawfully, the person to whom it is given in that person's action, vote or opinion, in any public or official capacity.

6. "Child" or "children" as used in reference to age of persons means persons under eighteen years of age.

7. "Clean burning fuel" means:

(a) An emulsion of water-phased hydrocarbon fuel that contains not less than twenty percent water by volume and that complies with any of the following:

(i) Is used in an engine that is certified to meet at a minimum the United States environmental protection agency low emission vehicle standard pursuant to 40 Code of Federal Regulations section 88.104-94 or 88.105-94.

(ii) Is used in an engine that is certified by the engine modifier to meet the addendum to memorandum 1-A of the United States environmental protection agency as printed in the federal register, volume 62, number 207, October 27, 1997, pages 55635 through 55637.

(iii) Is used in an engine that is the subject of a waiver for that specific engine application from the United States environmental protection agency's memorandum 1-A addendum requirements and that waiver is documented to the reasonable satisfaction of the director of the department of environmental quality.

(b) A diesel fuel substitute that is produced from nonpetroleum renewable resources if the qualifying volume of the nonpetroleum renewable resources meets the standards for California diesel fuel as adopted by the California air resources board pursuant to 13 California Code of Regulations sections 2281 and 2282 in effect on January 1, 2000, the diesel fuel substitute meets the registration requirement for fuels and additives established by the United States environmental protection agency pursuant to section 211 of the clean air act as defined in section 49-401.01 and the use of the diesel fuel substitute complies with the requirements listed in 10 Code of Federal Regulations part 490, as printed in the federal register, volume 64, number 96, May 19, 1999.

(c) A diesel fuel that complies with all of the following:

(i) Contains a maximum of fifteen parts per million by weight of sulfur.

(ii) Meets ASTM D975.

(iii) Meets the registration requirements for fuels and additives established by the United States environmental protection agency pursuant to section 211 of the clean air act as defined in section 49-401.01.

(iv) Is used in an engine that is equipped or has been retrofitted with a device that has been certified by the California air resources board diesel emission control strategy verification procedure, the United States environmental protection agency voluntary diesel retrofit program or the United States environmental protection agency verification protocol for retrofit catalyst, particulate filter and engine modification control technologies for highway and nonroad use diesel engines.

(d) A blend of unleaded gasoline that contains at minimum eighty-five percent ethanol by volume or eighty-five percent methanol by volume.

(e) Neat methanol.

(f) Neat ethanol.

8. "Corruptly" means a wrongful design to acquire or cause some pecuniary or other advantage to the person guilty of the act or omission referred to, or to some other person.

9. "Daytime" means the period between sunrise and sunset.

10. "Depose" includes every manner of written statement under oath or affirmation.

11. "Federal poverty guidelines" means the poverty guidelines as updated annually in the federal register by the United States department of health and human services.

12. "Grantee" includes every person to whom an estate or interest in real property passes, in or by a deed.

13. "Grantor" includes every person from or by whom an estate or interest in real property passes, in or by a deed.

14. "Includes" or "including" means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion.

15. "Inhabitant" means a resident of a city, town, village, district, county or precinct.

16. "Issue" as used in connection with descent of estates includes all lawful, lineal descendants of the ancestor.

17. "Knowingly":

(a) Means only a knowledge that the facts exist that bring the act or omission within the provisions of the statute using such word. 

(b) Does not require any knowledge of the unlawfulness of the act or omission.

18. "Magistrate" means an officer having power to issue a warrant for the arrest of a person charged with a public offense and includes the chief justice and justices of the supreme court, judges of the superior court, judges of the court of appeals, justices of the peace and judges of a municipal court.

19. "Majority" or "age of majority" as used in reference to the age of persons means eighteen years of age or more.

20. "Malice" and "maliciously" mean a wish to vex, annoy or injure another person, or an intent to do a wrongful act, established either by proof or presumption of law.

21. "Minor" means a person under eighteen years of age.

22. "Minor children" means persons under eighteen years of age.

23. "Month" means a calendar month unless otherwise expressed.

24. "Moral turpitude" means an offense, whether a misdemeanor or felony, that is related to extortion, burglary, larceny, bribery, embezzlement, robbery, racketeering, money laundering, forgery, fraud, murder, voluntary manslaughter or a sexual offense that requires the individual to register pursuant to section 13-3821.

25. "Neglect", "negligence", "negligent" and "negligently" import a want of such attention to the nature or probable consequence of the act or omission as a prudent man ordinarily bestows in acting in his own concerns.

26. "Nighttime" means the period between sunset and sunrise.

27. "Oath" includes an affirmation or declaration.

28. "Peace officers" means sheriffs of counties, constables, marshals, policemen of cities and towns, commissioned personnel of the department of public safety, personnel who are employed by the state department of corrections and the department of juvenile corrections and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, peace officers who are appointed by a multicounty water conservation district and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, police officers who are appointed by community college district governing boards and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, police officers who are appointed by the Arizona board of regents and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, police officers who are appointed by the governing body of a public airport pursuant to section 28-8426 and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board, peace officers who are appointed by a private postsecondary institution pursuant to section 15-1897 and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board and special agents from the office of the attorney general, or of a county attorney, and who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board.

29. "Person" includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person.  When the word "person" is used to designate the party whose property may be the subject of a criminal or public offense, the term includes the United States, this state, or any territory, state or country, or any political subdivision of this state that may lawfully own any property, or a public or private corporation, or partnership or association.  When the word "person" is used to designate the violator or offender of any law, it includes a corporation, a partnership or any association of persons.

30. "Personal property" includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidences of debt.

31. "Population" means the population according to the most recent United States decennial census.

32. "Process" means a citation, writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings.

33. "Property" includes both real and personal property.

34. "Real property" is coextensive with lands, tenements and hereditaments.

35. "Registered mail" includes certified mail.

36. "Seal" as used in reference to a paper issuing from a court or public office to which the seal of such court or office is required to be affixed means an impression of the seal on that paper, an impression of the seal affixed to that paper by a wafer or wax, a stamped seal, a printed seal, a screened seal or a computer generated seal.

37. "Signature" or "subscription" includes a mark, if a person cannot write, with the person's name written near it and witnessed by a person who writes the person's own name as witness.

38. "State", as applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia, this state and the territories.

39. "Testify" includes every manner of oral statement under oath or affirmation.

40. "United States" includes the District of Columbia and the territories.

41. "Vessel", as used in reference to shipping, includes ships of all kinds, steamboats, steamships, barges, canal boats and every structure adapted to navigation from place to place for the transportation of persons or property.

42. "Wilfully" means, with respect to conduct or to a circumstance described by a statute defining an offense, that a person is aware or believes that the person's conduct is of that nature or that the circumstance exists.

43. "Will" includes codicils.

44. "Workers' compensation" means workmen's compensation as used in article XVIII, section 8, Constitution of Arizona.

45. "Writ" means an order or precept in writing issued in the name of the state or by a court or judicial officer.

46. "Writing" includes printing.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 141 cases (26 in the last 5 years), 1961–2026 · leading case: State Ex Rel. Department of Health Services v. Cochise County
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
State Ex Rel. Department of Health Services v. Cochise County (1990) ariz · cites it 24× “The majority rejected the state's argument that the definition of "person" set forth in A.R.S. § 1-215(24) excluded the state, in light of the purposes behind the claims statute.”
Estate of braden/gabaldon v. State (2011) ariz · cites it 4× “See A.R.S. § 1-215(29) (defining “person” as including “a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, or society, as well as a natural person”); see also State ex rel.”
Fidelity National Financial Inc. v. Friedman (2010) ariz · cites it 5× “A.R.S. § 1-215 (Supp.2010). Fidelity contends that any “matter or proceeding” seeking to facilitate collection on a judgment or indicating the judgment creditor’s continued intent to enforce the judgment is an action on the judgment.”
Dunlap v. Superior Court (1991) arizctapp · cites it 12× “an officer having power to issue a warrant for the arrest of a person charged with a public offense and includes the chief justice and judges of the supreme court, judges of the superior court, justices of the peace and police magistrates in cities and towns.”
Carrow Co. v. Lusby (1990) ariz · cites it 4× “Neither the general definitional statute, A.R.S. § 1-215, nor Title 24, ch. 3, art.”
State v. Cox (2007) ariz · cites it 2× “See A.R.S. § 1-215(42) (defining willfully as “aware[ness] or belie[f] that the person’s conduct is of that nature or that the circumstance exists”).”
State v. Eddington (2010) arizctapp · cites it 4× “[5] We use the term "peace officer" as it is defined in A.R.S. §§ 1-215(28) and 13-105(28). Both definitions apply to the venireperson here.”
State v. Buccini (1991) ariz · cites it 4× “[3] A superior court judge, sitting as a magistrate ( see A.R.S. § 1-215(13)), issued the search warrant, and Kadous conducted a *553 search of Buccini's apartment and car, which yielded several items of evidence.”
In Re Estate of Friedman (2008) arizctapp · cites it 4× “8 In Scappatura , citing A.R.S. § 1-215(15) (1972) 9 , we held that “malice” and “bad faith” import “a wish to vex, annoy or injure another” and “mean [a] primary purpose other than the safeguarding of patients.”
City of Phoenix v. SUPER. COURT, MARICOPA CTY. (1985) arizctapp · cites it 4× “§ 11-441(A)(7) which provides that the sheriff shall “[s]erve process and notices in the manner prescribed by law____” Process is defined in A.R.S. § 1-215(26) as “a citation, writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings.”
State of Arizona Ex Rel. Polk v. Hon. campbell/francis Frederick Kraps (2016) ariz · cites it 2× “” AR.S. § 1-215(22). Considering § 13-3212’s history and reading the statute in its entirety convinces us that the legislature intended to use a different definition of “minor” in § 13-3212(D) and (G).”
Alhambra School District v. Superior Court (1990) ariz · cites it 4× “A.R.S. § 1-215(4) defines "child" or "children" as persons under the age of eighteen years.”
Show all 141 citing cases →
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(1) — 11 cases
Fidelity National Financial Inc. v. Friedman (2010) ariz “A.R.S. § 1-215 (Supp.2010). Fidelity contends that any “matter or proceeding” seeking to facilitate collection on a judgment or indicating the judgment creditor’s continued intent to enforce the judgment is an action on the judgment.”
State Ex Rel. Department of Economic Security v. Hayden (2005) ariz
Cook v. Grebe (2018) arizctapp
Fidelity National Financial Inc. v. Friedman (2010) ca9
STATE EX REL. DEPT. ECONOMIC SEC. v. Hayden (2005) ariz
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(11) — 4 cases
State Ex Rel. Flournoy v. Wren (1972) ariz
Sheridan v. Superior Court (1962) ariz
State Ex Rel. Corbin v. Murry (1967) ariz
Massengill v. Yuma County (1969) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(12) — 3 cases
State v. Galbraith (1976) arizctapp
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance v. Novak (1990) arizctapp
State v. Royer (1986) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(13) — 5 cases
Dunlap v. Superior Court (1991) arizctapp “an officer having power to issue a warrant for the arrest of a person charged with a public offense and includes the chief justice and judges of the supreme court, judges of the superior court, justices of the peace and police magistrates in cities and towns.”
State v. Buccini (1991) ariz “[3] A superior court judge, sitting as a magistrate ( see A.R.S. § 1-215(13)), issued the search warrant, and Kadous conducted a *553 search of Buccini's apartment and car, which yielded several items of evidence.”
State Ex Rel. Milstead v. Melvin (1984) ariz
State v. Reed (1978) arizctapp
State v. Klein (1985) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(14) — 6 cases
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance v. Novak (1990) arizctapp
Ruhsam v. Ruhsam (1973) arizctapp
Sunflower v. Ahcccs (2019) arizctapp
Vangilder v. Pinal County (2020) arizctapp
Harold Vangilder v. ador/pinal County (2022) ariz
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(15) — 3 cases
In Re Estate of Friedman (2008) arizctapp “8 In Scappatura , citing A.R.S. § 1-215(15) (1972) 9 , we held that “malice” and “bad faith” import “a wish to vex, annoy or injure another” and “mean [a] primary purpose other than the safeguarding of patients.”
L.A.R. v. Ludwig (1991) arizctapp
Pesqueira v. Talbot (1968) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(17) — 1 case
Tencza v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Company (1974) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(17)(a) — 1 case
Simms v. Simms (2025) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(20) — 3 cases
In Re Estate of Friedman (2008) arizctapp “8 In Scappatura , citing A.R.S. § 1-215(15) (1972) 9 , we held that “malice” and “bad faith” import “a wish to vex, annoy or injure another” and “mean [a] primary purpose other than the safeguarding of patients.”
Terry v. Lincscott Hotel Corp. (1980) arizctapp
City of Scottsdale v. Kokaska (1972) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(21) — 5 cases
State v. Farnsworth (2017) arizctapp
State of Arizona v. Hon. James Marner; Hanees Mohamed Haniffa (2024) arizctapp
State of Arizona v. Hon. marner/haniffa (2026) ariz
Dale Allen Wright v. Hon. gates/state (2017) ariz
State v. Buffington (2021) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(22) — 1 case
State of Arizona Ex Rel. Polk v. Hon. campbell/francis Frederick Kraps (2016) ariz “” AR.S. § 1-215(22). Considering § 13-3212’s history and reading the statute in its entirety convinces us that the legislature intended to use a different definition of “minor” in § 13-3212(D) and (G).”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(23) — 5 cases
Walker v. Walthall (1978) arizctapp
Goode v. Alfred (1992) arizctapp
State v. LeMatty (1979) ariz
Commonwealth v. Leet (1991) pasuperct
State v. Rosenberg (1975) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(24) — 4 cases
State Ex Rel. Department of Health Services v. Cochise County (1990) ariz “The majority rejected the state's argument that the definition of "person" set forth in A.R.S. § 1-215(24) excluded the state, in light of the purposes behind the claims statute.”
Associated Students of the University v. Arizona Board of Regents (1978) arizctapp
State ex rel. Arizona Department of Health Services v. Cochise County (1989) arizctapp
Del E. Webb Communities, Inc. v. Superior Court (1987) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(25) — 1 case
Roman v. Carroll (1980) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(26) — 4 cases
Nienstedt v. Wetzel (1982) arizctapp
City of Phoenix v. SUPER. COURT, MARICOPA CTY. (1985) arizctapp “§ 11-441(A)(7) which provides that the sheriff shall “[s]erve process and notices in the manner prescribed by law____” Process is defined in A.R.S. § 1-215(26) as “a citation, writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings.”
State v. Arizona Property & Casualty Insurance Guaranty Fund (1998) arizctapp
State v. AZ. PROPERTY & CAS. INS. (1998) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(28) — 12 cases
State v. Eddington (2010) arizctapp “[5] We use the term "peace officer" as it is defined in A.R.S. §§ 1-215(28) and 13-105(28). Both definitions apply to the venireperson here.”
State of Arizona v. Douglas Lee Eddington (2011) ariz
State v. Nelson (2004) arizctapp
State v. Stuebe (2020) arizctapp
State of Arizona v. William Maurice Brown (2026) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(29) — 9 cases
Estate of braden/gabaldon v. State (2011) ariz “See A.R.S. § 1-215(29) (defining “person” as including “a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, or society, as well as a natural person”); see also State ex rel.”
Arizona State Democratic Party v. State (2004) arizctapp
Performance Funding, L.L.C. v. Arizona Pipe Trade Trust Funds (2002) arizctapp
Thielking v. Kirschner (1993) arizctapp
Midtown Medical Group, Inc. v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance (2008) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(30) — 5 cases
Kaufman v. Langhofer (2009) arizctapp
Paloma Investment Ltd. Partnership v. Jenkins (1998) arizctapp
Norwest Bank Arizona v. Superior Court (1998) arizctapp
Pnc Bank v. Hon coury/jennings (2024) arizctapp
In Re: MD Helicopters, Inc. (2022) ded
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(31) — 2 cases
Gutierrez v. INDUSTRIAL COM'N OF ARIZONA (2011) ariz
Jesus Gutierrez v. ica/masterson (2011) ariz
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(34) — 1 case
In Re: MD Helicopters, Inc. (2022) ded
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(36) — 7 cases
State v. Fendler (1980) arizctapp
State v. Bell (1976) ariz
State v. Scott (1978) arizctapp
State v. Snodgrass (1977) arizctapp
State v. Gendron (1990) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(38) — 1 case
City of Phoenix v. SUPER. COURT, MARICOPA CTY. (1985) arizctapp “§ 11-441(A)(7) which provides that the sheriff shall “[s]erve process and notices in the manner prescribed by law____” Process is defined in A.R.S. § 1-215(26) as “a citation, writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(4) — 2 cases
Alhambra School District v. Superior Court (1990) ariz “A.R.S. § 1-215(4) defines "child" or "children" as persons under the age of eighteen years.”
Baker v. Arizona Department of Revenue (2005) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(41) — 1 case
State v. Burke (2015) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(42) — 2 cases
State v. Cox (2007) ariz “See A.R.S. § 1-215(42) (defining willfully as “aware[ness] or belie[f] that the person’s conduct is of that nature or that the circumstance exists”).”
Simms v. Simms (2025) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(46) — 1 case
Progressive Casualty Insurance v. Estate of Palomera-Ruiz (2010) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(5) — 3 cases
Knauss v. DND Neffson Co. (1997) arizctapp
State v. Jacobs (1978) arizctapp
State v. Walker (1995) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(6) — 3 cases
Tia C. v. Gabriel V. (2024) arizctapp
Rozenberg v. Conzoner (2025) arizctapp
Salcido v. Hamilton (2024) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(8) — 2 cases
State Ex Rel. Department of Health Services v. Cochise County (1990) ariz “The majority rejected the state's argument that the definition of "person" set forth in A.R.S. § 1-215(24) excluded the state, in light of the purposes behind the claims statute.”
State ex rel. Arizona Department of Health Services v. Cochise County (1989) arizctapp
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 1-215(9) — 1 case
State ex rel. Arizona Department of Health Services v. Cochise County (1989) arizctapp
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.