Rule 3 Commencing an Action

Filing a complaint with the court is how you officially start a lawsuit in Arizona. The complaint is a written document that explains who you are, who you are suing, and why you are suing them.

Until you file that complaint, your case does not legally exist in the court's eyes. The date you file your complaint also matters because it sets the official start date of your lawsuit, which can affect deadlines and time limits tied to your case.