Phoenix Municipal Court

The Phoenix Municipal Court is one of the busiest city courts in the United States, prosecuting individuals for Driving Under the Influence, Criminal Speeding, Shoplifting, Assault, Reckless Driving, Traffic Ticket Violations and other misdemeanor crimes.

The Court has 21 main full-time judges, along with 3 hearing officers, and 24 pro tem judges. Each of which hears a variety of cases from criminal and civil traffic violations to other non-traffic criminal misdemeanors.

Our office is located about 30 minutes away from the Courthouse and our attorneys have years of experience in every corner of this system. If you have been charged with a crime or traffic in ticket please contact our office to schedule a free case evaluation at (602) 737-2437 or schedule an appointment online.

The Phoenix Municipal Court runs criminal cases in three main stages:

• Arraignment: This is the first court date in any criminal case. At this setting, the Court wants to know whether you want to plea guilty or not guilty, set your case to a trial, retain an attorney, and whether you understand your rights. The Court will also advise you of the maximum penalties you could face under the law as it related to the crime with which you were charged. Generally, our office is retained well before this court date, and we file paperwork to vacate this court date on your behalf.
• Pre-Disposition Conference (“PDC”): This is the next Court setting and it occurs after the arraignment. When you have hired a criminal attorney, you may not need to attend this hearing depending upon the current stage of your course. It is not unusual to have several different “PDC” settings in your case. This gives your attorney the opportunity to speak with the prosecutor, review the discovery and evidence against, file substantive motions and work to resolve your matter in your favor.
• Trial or Change of Plea: This is the final main phase of the Phoenix Municipal Court case process. At this stage in your case, a decision will be made whether your case will go to trial or whether it will be resolved prior to a formal trial. Most cases do not go to trial, and this can be relief to our clients. Most cases settle favorable with a dismissal or reduction in criminal charges. However, our team of attorneys is never afraid to take a case to trial should the offer to settle not be in our client’s favor.

There are often other court proceedings such as evidentiary motions and hearings on motions to suppress that occur throughout the course of the case as well, but the three stages detailed above are the main court proceedings in a Phoenix Municipal Court criminal case.

The entirety of the process generally takes about 3-4 months, depending upon the complexity of your case and the nature of the charges alleged against you. Our office has represented hundreds of individuals in the Phoenix City Court, and we know the process and system well. Please contact our law firm if you have questions about a criminal or civil case in Phoenix at (602) 737-2437.

300 W Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: (602) 262-6421
Fax: (602) 534-3628
Online Case Information Link