Arizona Revised Statutes

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 22-402 (2026)

Establishment and jurisdiction

✓ current as of May 2026
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A. In each city or town incorporated under the general laws of this state, there shall be a municipal court.

B. Every court established pursuant to subsection A, and every court established in a city incorporated under the provisions of title 9, chapter 2, article 5 or incorporated under the provisions of a special act or charter, has jurisdiction of all cases arising under the ordinances of the city or town, and has jurisdiction concurrently with justices of the peace of precincts in which the city or town is located, of violations of laws of the state committed within the limits of the city or town.

C. Notwithstanding subsections A and B and in lieu of establishing or maintaining a municipal court, a city or town may enter into an intergovernmental agreement as authorized by title 11, chapter 7, article 3 to provide the services of a municipal court, including the jurisdiction of all cases arising under the ordinances of the city or town, with either:

1. A justice of the peace in whose jurisdiction the city or town is located and the county in which the city or town is located.

2. Another city or town located within the same county as the city or town.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 16 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1966–2023 · leading case: Winter v. Coor, 695 P.2d 1094 (Ariz. 1985).
Winter v. Coor, 695 P.2d 1094 (Ariz. 1985). · cites it 4× “A.R.S. § 22-402(A) requires that “In each city or town incorporated under the general laws of this state, there shall be a police court.”
State v. Mercurio, 736 P.2d 819 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1987). · cites it 5× “See A.R.S. § 22-402 (quoted infra, at 340, 736 P.”
State Ex Rel. Baumert v. Mun. Court of Phoenix, 606 P.2d 33 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1979). · cites it 4× “A.R.S. § 22-402(B). Justice of the Peace courts are specifically given jurisdiction over petty theft in A.”
City Court of Phoenix v. State ex rel. Baumert, 565 P.2d 531 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1977). · cites it 6× “The legislature has further refined this general grant of criminal jurisdiction in A.R.S. § 22-402 and A.R.S. § 22-301. A.R.”
Rothweiler v. Superior Court of Pima Cnty., 410 P.2d 479 (Ariz. 1966). · cites it 2× “” A.R.S. § 22-402. The only statute relating to jury trials in police courts is A;R.”
Roubos v. Miller, 138 P.3d 735 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 4× “In so doing, she relied on language in A.R.S. § 22-402 and Wissner v. State, 21 Ariz.”
City of Tucson v. Superior Court, 809 P.2d 428 (Ariz. 1991). · cites it 2× “2d at 1096 (citing A.R.S. § 22-402(B)). We have noted that “for many citizens of this state, the magistrate courts represent their only contact with the judicial system.”
Benitez v. Dunevant, 979 P.2d 1017 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 2× “Petitioner argues that section 22-320 applies only to justice courts, and is in any event unconstitutional.”
Wissner v. State, 520 P.2d 526 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1974). · cites it 2× “A.R.S. § 22-402. Thus, we see that it has no jurisdiction of civil matters.”
City of Phoenix v. Coulter, 515 P.2d 856 (Ariz. 1973). · cites it 2× “A.R.S. § 22-402 B provides for concurrent jurisdiction in city courts of incorporated cities with justices of the peace over all violations of the laws of the State of Arizona committed within the corporate limits.”
State v. Superior Court, 410 P.2d 502 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1966). “Section 22-402 vests the Municipal Court with jurisdiction to hear offenses which are violations of state statutes with certain jurisdictional exceptions which we need not note here.”
Meadows v. Grant, 486 P.2d 216 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1971). · cites it 2× “A.R.S. § 22-402. In such capacity he is charged with the express duty, under A.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 22-402(A) — 1 case
Winter v. Coor, 695 P.2d 1094 (Ariz. 1985). “A.R.S. § 22-402(A) requires that “In each city or town incorporated under the general laws of this state, there shall be a police court.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 22-402(B) — 6 cases
State Ex Rel. Baumert v. Mun. Court of Phoenix, 606 P.2d 33 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1979). “A.R.S. § 22-402(B). Justice of the Peace courts are specifically given jurisdiction over petty theft in A.”
City Court of Phoenix v. State ex rel. Baumert, 565 P.2d 531 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1977). “The legislature has further refined this general grant of criminal jurisdiction in A.R.S. § 22-402 and A.R.S. § 22-301. A.R.”
Winter v. Coor, 695 P.2d 1094 (Ariz. 1985). “A.R.S. § 22-402(A) requires that “In each city or town incorporated under the general laws of this state, there shall be a police court.”
City of Tucson v. Superior Court, 809 P.2d 428 (Ariz. 1991). “2d at 1096 (citing A.R.S. § 22-402(B)). We have noted that “for many citizens of this state, the magistrate courts represent their only contact with the judicial system.”
Juvan v. Hon. eppich/mesa (Ariz. Ct. App. 2014).
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