Rule 4 Grounds for Bringing a Special Action

A special action is a specific type of court case used to challenge what a lower court, government official, or agency did (or did not do). You cannot file a special action just because you disagree with a decision. There are only three specific reasons you can use one.

First, you can file if someone with official duties refused to do their job or refused to make a decision they were supposed to make. Second, you can file if they acted outside of their legal authority or threatened to do so. Third, you can file if they made a decision that was random, unfair, or based on a legal mistake.

Think of a special action as a way to correct serious problems with how a decision was made, not just to get a different outcome. If a judge or official simply made a call you disagree with, that alone is not enough to bring a special action.