Maricopa County, Arizona (Judicial)
From Ballotpedia
Maricopa County is one of 15 counties in Arizona.
The United States District Court for the District of Arizona has jurisdiction in Maricopa County. Appeals from the District of Arizona go to the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
Judges
Superior courts
Elections
- See also: Arizona judicial elections
Arizona is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Arizona, click here.
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2025
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2024
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2023
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2022
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2021
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2020
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2019
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2017
- Arizona local trial court judicial elections, 2016
- Arizona judicial elections, 2014
- Arizona judicial elections, 2012
- Arizona judicial elections, 2010
Election rules
Primary election
Judges of the Arizona Superior Court in counties with populations under 250,000 are chosen in a partisan primary and then face nonpartisan general elections.[1]
Candidates for the Arizona Justice Courts participate in primary elections throughout the state. Candidates that advance from the partisan primary compete in the general election.[2]
General election
Arizona general elections are held on the first Tuesday in November of every even-numbered year. If a victory margin is within one-half of one percent, there will be an automatic recount unless the defeated candidate provides a waiver to the recount.[3]
Appellate court judges as well as superior court judges in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties stand for retention.[2]
Retention election
In counties with populations greater than 250,000—Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties—superior court judges are chosen through a merit selection system. In these counties, judges are appointed by the governor with the help of a selection commission. At the end of their term, the judges remain in office through uncontested retention elections every four years.[1][2]
Counties with populations less than 250,000 have the option to adopt the merit selection process through ballot initiative.[2]