United States District Court for the District of Arizona
About This Court
The District of Arizona is a single-district federal court covering the entire state of Arizona, making it one of the geographically largest federal districts in the United States. It sits within the Ninth Circuit and handles the full range of federal civil and criminal matters arising across Arizona's approximately 113,990 square miles, including matters involving federal lands, tribal issues, and immigration cases along the United States-Mexico border.
The court is headquartered in Phoenix and also maintains divisional offices in Tucson and Flagstaff. The district is among the busiest in the country for immigration-related criminal prosecutions, driven by its extensive international border with Mexico spanning several hundred miles.
Arizona's rapid population growth over recent decades has contributed to a consistently high caseload, and the court has historically carried one of the largest per-judge workloads in the federal system. Matters involving Native American tribes, water rights, and federal land use are also characteristic of litigation in this district.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, District of Arizona. Appeals go to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Divisions
Phoenix Division (Phoenix), Tucson Division (Tucson), Flagstaff Division (Flagstaff)
Caseload
The District of Arizona consistently ranks among the highest-volume districts in the nation for criminal filings, with immigration prosecutions representing a substantial portion of the docket. Civil matters involving federal agencies, land use, tribal sovereignty, and water rights are also prominent.
Bar Admission
Attorneys must be admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, which requires current membership in good standing with the State Bar of Arizona or admission pro hac vice for attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions.
Clerk's Office
Sandra Day O'Connor U.S. Courthouse, 401 West Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003
(602) 322-7200
Active Judges 27
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Bolton | William J. Clinton | 2000 | University of Iowa College of Law |
| Susan Brnovich | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | University of Wisconsin Law School |
| David Bury | George W. Bush | 2002 | University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law) |
| David Campbell | George W. Bush | 2003 | University of Utah College of Law (now S.J. Quinney College of Law) |
| Raner Collins | William J. Clinton | 1998 | University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law) |
| Sharad Desai | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | New York University School of Law |
| John Hinderaker | Donald J. Trump | 2020 | University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law) |
| Diane Humetewa | Barack Obama | 2014 | Arizona State University College of Law (now Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law) |
| Cindy Jorgenson | George W. Bush | 2002 | University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law) |
| Krissa Lanham | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | Yale Law School |
| Dominic Lanza | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | Harvard Law School |
| Michael Liburdi | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | Arizona State University College of Law (now Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law) |
| Steven Logan | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Oklahoma College of Law |
| Rosemary Márquez | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law) |
| Angela Martinez | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law |
| Frederick Martone | George W. Bush | 2001 | Notre Dame Law School |
| Stephen McNamee | George H.W. Bush | 1990 | University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law) |
| Scott Rash | Donald J. Trump | 2020 | University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law) |
| Douglas Rayes | Barack Obama | 2014 | Arizona State University College of Law (now Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law) |
| Roslyn Silver | William J. Clinton | 1994 | Arizona State University College of Law (now Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law) |
| G. Snow | George W. Bush | 2008 | Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School |
| James Soto | Barack Obama | 2014 | Arizona State University College of Law (now Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law) |
| James Teilborg | William J. Clinton | 2000 | University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law) |
| John Tuchi | Barack Obama | 2014 | Arizona State University College of Law (now Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law) |
| Neil Wake | George W. Bush | 2004 | Harvard Law School |
| Frank Zapata | William J. Clinton | 1996 | University of Arizona College of Law (now James E. Rogers College of Law) |
| Jennifer Zipps | Barack Obama | 2011 | Georgetown University Law Center |
Local Rules
The Local Rules of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, which supplement the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.