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Arizona Court Rules (2026)

We publish 15 Arizona rule sets totaling 1493 rules. Arizona court rules are promulgated by the Supreme Court of Arizona and govern practice in all Arizona state courts. Coverage includes civil and criminal procedure, evidence, appellate procedure, family law, probate, juvenile court, eviction actions, protective orders, special actions, the Tax Court, justice courts, small claims, and the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct (Ethical Rules) under the Rules of the Supreme Court. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules.

Practice guide Full-length reference · 10 sections

Arizona Court Rules & Rules of Practice

How this jurisdiction's courts and rules are organized, written for lawyers new to it: the court system, every ruleset a litigator touches, and how a case actually moves. Last verified September 2, 2026. For informational purposes only.

  1. Court System Overview
  2. The Ruleset Map
  3. Civil Litigation Mechanics
  4. Criminal Practice Mechanics
  5. Evidence
  6. Appellate Mechanics
  7. Rules of Professional Conduct
  8. Attorney Discipline & Enforcement
  9. Newcomer Orientation Notes
  10. Sources & Verification
Read the full guide
Ariz. R. Civ. P. 136 rules

Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure

Rules of Civil Procedure for the Superior Courts of Arizona governing pleadings, motions, parties, discovery, trials, judgments, provisional remedies, compulsory arbitration, and general provisions.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R. Crim. P. 340 rules

Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure

Rules of Criminal Procedure governing the conduct of criminal proceedings in Arizona courts, covering preliminary proceedings, rights of parties, pretrial procedures, pleas, trial, post-verdict proceedings, and appeals.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R. Fam. L.P. 146 rules

Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure

Rules of Family Law Procedure governing dissolution, legal separation, annulment, paternity, child support, custody, visitation, protective orders, and other family law matters in Arizona.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R. Sup. Ct. 191 rules

Arizona Rules of the Supreme Court

Rules of the Supreme Court of Arizona governing attorney admission, professional conduct, lawyer regulation, judicial conduct, mandatory continuing legal education, and the unauthorized practice of law.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R. Evid. 71 rules

Arizona Rules of Evidence

Arizona Rules of Evidence governing the admission and exclusion of evidence in Arizona courts, covering relevance, privileges, witnesses, opinion testimony, hearsay, authentication, and contents of writings.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R.P. Juv. Ct. 145 rules

Arizona Rules of Procedure for the Juvenile Court

Rules of Procedure for the Juvenile Court governing delinquency, dependency, severance, adoption, emancipation, and other juvenile matters in Arizona.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. Just. Ct. R. Civ. P. 53 rules

Justice Court Rules of Civil Procedure

Justice Court Rules of Civil Procedure governing civil proceedings in the justice courts of Arizona.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R. Prob. P. 65 rules

Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure

Arizona Rules of Probate Procedure governing decedents' estates, trusts, conservatorships, guardianships, and other probate matters in the superior courts of Arizona.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R. Civ. App. P. 44 rules

Arizona Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure

Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure governing appeals to the Arizona Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, including jurisdiction, briefing, oral argument, motions, mandates, and review.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R. Protect. Ord. P. 46 rules

Arizona Rules of Protective Order Procedure

Rules of Protective Order Procedure governing orders of protection, injunctions against harassment, injunctions against workplace harassment, and related proceedings in Arizona courts.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R.P. Evic. Actions 23 rules

Arizona Rules of Procedure for Eviction Actions

Rules of Procedure for Eviction Actions covering forcible and special detainer actions in superior and justice courts in Arizona.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R.P. Spec. Actions 31 rules

Arizona Rules of Procedure for Special Actions

Rules of Procedure for Special Actions in Arizona, covering the substitute for the common-law writs of certiorari, mandamus, and prohibition.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. R. Small Cl. P. 20 rules

Arizona Rules of Small Claims Procedure

Arizona Rules of Small Claims Procedure governing small claims actions in justice courts, covering filing, service, hearings, judgments, and appeals.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. Code Jud. Admin. § 151 rules

Arizona Code of Judicial Administration

How the Supreme Court of Arizona administers the courts, in one hundred and fifty-one sections across seven Parts, adopted to implement the court's administrative supervision of every court in the state under article 6, section 3 of the Arizona Constitution. Part 3 covers the superior court: expedited hearing plans, parent education programs, the probate court standards, the priority of offender payments, records retention and disposition, protecting personal information in public records, and superior court fees. Part 4 does the same for the justice and municipal courts, and Part 5 is court operations — funding and enhanced collections, alternative dispute resolution, public defender training, the state grand jury, juror payments and evidence-based pretrial services. Part 6 is probation, from the administration of state-funded programs and probation officer certification to standard, intensive and juvenile supervision, the uniform conditions of supervised probation, and detention operations. Part 7 is the certification and licensing code: legal document preparers, legal paraprofessionals, alternative business structures, private process servers, fiduciaries, certified reporters, confidential intermediaries and defensive driving schools. Twenty-four sections are reserved and are published as such.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Ariz. Tax Ct. R.P. 31 rules

Arizona Tax Court Rules of Practice

Arizona Tax Court Rules of Practice governing proceedings in the Arizona Tax Court, including state and small claims tax appeals.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Arizona courts do these rules cover?
These rules cover practice and procedure in all Arizona state courts: the Arizona Supreme Court and Court of Appeals (Civil Appellate Procedure), the Superior Courts (Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Probate, Juvenile, and Eviction Procedure), Justice Courts (Civil Procedure and Small Claims), and the Tax Court. The Rules of the Supreme Court also include the Ethical Rules — Arizona's Rules of Professional Conduct governing attorney admission, discipline, and conduct.
Why are some rule sets labeled as "ER" instead of "Rule"?
The Ethical Rules ("ER") are the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct, which sit within the Rules of the Supreme Court of Arizona. They use an "ER" prefix instead of "Rule" to distinguish them from the procedural rules of court. ER 1.0 through ER 8.5 govern lawyer-client relationships, conflicts of interest, candor toward tribunals, fees, advertising, and lawyer discipline.
How current are the Arizona rules on this site?
Arizona court rules are promulgated by the Supreme Court of Arizona. Each rule set displays the date it was last imported. The Arizona Supreme Court amends rules through orders that typically take effect on January 1 each year, with emergency or interim amendments taking effect on the date specified in the order.
How do the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure compare to the Federal Rules?
Arizona's Rules of Civil Procedure closely track the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in numbering and substance — Rule 26 governs discovery, Rule 56 covers summary judgment, Rule 65 governs injunctions, etc. Arizona has its own additions and modifications, including Rule 26.1 on prompt disclosure, Rule 26.2 on tiered discovery limits, and Rule 26.3 on medical records. Arizona courts often look to federal case law interpreting equivalent FRCP rules as persuasive authority.
What are Special Actions in Arizona?
Special Actions are Arizona's substitute for the common-law writs of certiorari, mandamus, and prohibition. They allow direct review of a lower court's order or refusal to act when there is no other plain, speedy, or adequate remedy. Special Actions are governed by the Arizona Rules of Procedure for Special Actions and may be filed in either the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court depending on the court whose order is being challenged.