Appellate Court Process

January 18, 2016

The Arizona state court system has two primary appellate court levels: the Arizona Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court is paramount. It hears appeals from Court of Appeals decisions and in rare cases, directly from the trial courts. The Court of Appeals—there are divisions sitting in Phoenix for the north / central part of the state, and in Tucson for the rest–handles appeals from the Superior Courts, and from the Industrial Commission in workers compensation cases. I offer the foregoing introduction to highlight recent cases and provide some insights into the appellate process.

On November 24, 2015 the Arizona Supreme Court issued its unanimous opinion in DBT Yuma, L.L.C. v. Yuma County Airport Authority. The

Continue reading...