Criminal misdemeanor and criminal traffic cases may be filed by the County Attorney or by a law enforcement agency. The most common criminal and criminal
traffic offenses include Driving while Under the Influence (DUI), Possession of Marijuana, Assault, Theft and Driving on a Suspended License.
The defendant's first court appearance is an arraignment where the defendant enters a plea of guilty, not guilty, or no contest.
Failure to appear at the arraignment may result in a warrant being issued for the defendant's arrest.
Please note that a police report is not filed with the Court. To obtain a copy of the police report,
please make a request with the citing law enforcement agency.
Citations are filed with the Court by the following most common law enforcement agencies.:
Links to the following:
***Please note that this is not a complete list of citing agencies***
Adjudication - A decision or sentence imposed by a judge.
Bail/Bond - Money or property given to the Court for the temporary release of a defendant, to ensure that the defendant will return to court.
Bench Trial - A trial before a judge without a jury.
Case Management Conference - A meeting scheduled by the Court to review the case.
Criminal Arraignment - The first court appearance of a person accused of a crime. The person is
advised of his or her rights by a judge and may respond to the criminal charges by entering a plea.
Conviction - To be found guilty of committing a crime.
Defendant - The person who is arrested and charged with a crime.
Dismissed With Prejudice - Judge's decision that prevents the complainant or prosecutor to bring or maintain the same claim or action again.
Dismissed Without Prejudice - A judge's decision to end the case which permits the complainant or prosecutor to renew the case later.
Jury Trial - A trial in which the factual issues are determined by a jury, not by the judge.
Plea Agreement - The agreement a defendant makes with the prosecutor to avoid a trial. Usually involves
pleading guilty to lesser charges in exchange for a lighter sentence.
Quash - The action of a court to deny, vacate, or make void a request on legal process, such as a warrant.
A warrant can be quashed by the Court when a person appears in court to resolve their criminal case.
Warrant - An order from the Court that commands law enforcement officers to arrest a person and bring them before the judge.
Warrants are most commonly issued for failure to appear at a court hearing and not complying with a court order.
After the conclusion of a criminal trial, the State or the defendant may appeal the judge's ruling. The appeal procedure is set forth in
Superior Court Rules of Appellate Procedure and in the
Arizona Revised Statutes.
To start an appeal, a Notice of Appeal must be filed with the trial court within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of the final order. If a Notice of Appeal is not
filed within 14 calendar days, the final order can no longer be appealed.
There are two stages to the appeal process. The first stage begins in the Justice Court; the second stage takes place in the Superior Court. All steps must be completed at both
stages to avoid possible dismissal of the appeal.
The person who files the appeal is the Appellant. The opposing party is the Appellee. The Justice Court is the trial court.
***For a complete appeal packet and instructions please view form: JP408 Criminal Appeal Packet***
Pima County Justice Court seeks to improve access to the Court. Below you wil find some helpful links to assist you in submitting a criminal motion, proofs, requesting a
trial date, and researching other information to help you make an informed decision.
Helpful Links: