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    Arizona DUI Courts: Where Your Case Is Heard

    Which Arizona court hears a first-offense DUI case, what happens at each stage, and the ZIP codes and counties each courthouse covers.

    How Arizona DUI courts are organised

    A DUI charge in Arizona is prosecuted in the Justice Court or Municipal Court that serves the county or municipality where the stop happened, not where you live. The clerk's office in that courthouse controls your hearing dates, accepts motions and continuances, and takes payment of fines and court costs. Calendars, filing hours and remote-appearance rules differ from courthouse to courthouse, so confirm them with the clerk before your first date.

    Arizona justice courts and municipal courts handle most misdemeanor DUI cases within their territorial jurisdiction, while the superior court, the general-jurisdiction trial court, hears aggravated (felony) DUI. Appeals from a justice or municipal court DUI conviction go to superior court, and further review may be sought in the Arizona Court of Appeals by special action.

    The state judiciary publishes the authoritative directory of courthouses, judges and calendars at azcourts.gov. Use it to confirm the address and division for your case number; local listings age quickly.

    Arizona judiciary — court directory

    Courthouse locations, hearing calendars, clerk contacts and self-help forms.

    AZ driver-licensing agency

    The separate licence action, which the criminal court does not decide.

    What happens at each stage in Arizona

    A DUI case in Arizona is heard in the Justice Court or Municipal Court, and it runs on two tracks at once: the criminal case and a separate licence action you must challenge within 15 days of arrest.

    1. 1Arrest, booking and the chemical test — Officers arrest for DUI under Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 28-1381 and request a breath, blood or urine test under Arizona's implied-consent section, Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 28-1321. Refusing carries its own licence penalty, separate from the criminal charge.
    2. 2Licence action — request a hearing within 15 days — A DUI arrest or a test refusal can trigger administrative suspension handled by ADOT's Motor Vehicle Division. You have 15 days from arrest to demand the administrative hearing with Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division; miss it and the suspension takes effect automatically, whatever happens in court.
    3. 3Arraignment in the Justice Court or Municipal Court — The charge is read, a plea is entered and conditions of release are set in the Justice Court or Municipal Court. Arizona justice courts and municipal courts handle most misdemeanor DUI cases within their territorial jurisdiction, while the superior court, the general-jurisdiction trial court, hears aggravated (felony) DUI.
    4. 4Pretrial motions and discovery — Defence counsel obtains the police report, test records and calibration or maintenance logs, and may move to suppress the stop or the test result. Arizona's e-filing portal for limited-jurisdiction courts, which handle most DUI cases, is AZTurboCourt.
    5. 5Plea or trial, then sentencing — A first DUI conviction carries a fine of at least $1,250, jail exposure up to 10 days, a licence suspension of 3 months, an ignition interlock requirement. Prior offenses within 7 years push the case into the enhanced-penalty range. A first offense carries a mandatory minimum jail term and an ignition interlock requirement.
    6. 6Appeal — Appeals from a justice or municipal court DUI conviction go to superior court under Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 22-371, following supreme court rules.
    7. 7Reinstatement — The MVD issues restricted driver permits for eligible DUI suspensions through its licence reinstatement programme. Arizona requires a SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility for 3 years before the licence is restored.

    Filing and case handling in Arizona

    • Arizona's e-filing portal for limited-jurisdiction courts, which handle most DUI cases, is AZTurboCourt.
    • Appeals from a justice or municipal court DUI conviction go to superior court under Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 22-371, following supreme court rules.
    • Justice and municipal courts are courts of record for appeal purposes, and transcripts are available under § 22-371(C).
    • The Arizona MVD runs a civil licence suspension track that is independent of the criminal case.

    Whatever the local practice, take your citation or case number to every call — clerks index by case, not by name — and get the payable amount for fines and court costs in writing before you pay.

    Arizona ZIP codes covered

    These Arizona ZIP-code pages carry the local court, filing and licensing detail for the area, and each one links back to this resource page.

    Counties and cities using these Arizona resources

    Other Arizona official resources

    Arizona Driver Licensing After a DUI: Hearings, Reinstatement & SR-22Arizona DUI Statutes: The Code Sections That Control Your Case

    Frequently asked questions

    Which court handles a first DUI charge in Arizona?
    First-offense DUI cases in Arizona are heard in the Justice Court or Municipal Court for the county where the stop happened. The court clerk's office there sets the arraignment date and accepts filings.
    Does the court case decide whether I keep my licence in Arizona?
    No. The criminal case and the administrative licence action run separately. The licence action is handled by the AZ driver-licensing agency, and the request for a hearing is due within 15 days of arrest.