The Justice Court Rules of Civil Procedure (“JCRCP”) promote a goal of the Supreme Court's Justice 2020 Strategic Agenda, to strengthen the administration of justice. The Justice 2020 Strategic Agenda noted that the legal system can be difficult for people who do not have an attorney, and that simplifying the rules for less complicated cases should make court proceedings more understandable for many people and increase their trust and confidence in the legal system.

These justice court rules are based on the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, which apply in superior court. In 2016, the Arizona Supreme Court adopted comprehensive amendments to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure (“the superior court rules”), which took effect on January 1, 2017 (the “2016 amendments”). For ease of reference, cross-references to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure are shown in brackets at the end of a corresponding section of these rules, for example, [ARCP 99]. A Table of Cross-References at Appendix 4 also cross-references JCRCP provisions with related rules in the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure. All references to the superior court rules in these rules, or in the Appendices, refer to those rules as in effect before the 2016 amendments. The wording of a justice court rule may be very different, or only slightly different, from a corresponding superior court rule. Differences in language between a justice court rule and a superior court rule are intended only to make the justice court rule simpler and easier to understand. Case law interpreting the superior court rule before the 2016 amendments is authoritative unless a justice court rule expressly adds a requirement or provides a right not found in a superior court rule. The application of case law interpreting a superior court rule as amended in 2016 will depend on the issue addressed. In general, post-2016 case law addressing aspects of a rule that were not substantively changed by the 2016 amendments should continue to be authoritative.