Rules of Court

Here are links to some popular court websites:

Arizona Supreme Court Rules Forum

Arizona District Court Rules

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

U.S. Supreme Court

 

Rule Amendments

The Government Relations Department manages the Bar's development of and commentary about proposed petitions to change the rules of state, federal and local court.

The Board of Governors must approve any commentary before the Bar or any of its agents may do so.

Proposed Rule Petitions and Comments

The proposed rule petitions and comments going before the Board at the 4/27/12 meeting are listed below.

Comment to R-11-0024, Petition to Amend Rule 43, ER 1.15, Ariz. R. S. Ct. The petition would provide a mechanism for shifting the burden to the third party to take action to protect an alleged property claim.

Comment to R-11-0031, Petition to Amend Rule 4.1(i), Ariz. R. Civ. P.  The petition would allow service to administrative assistants, employees of CEO's, secretaries, clerks, CEO's, recording officers.

Comment to R-12-0008, Petition to Amend Rule 4.1(d), 5(c), Ariz. R. Civ. P., Rule 41(C) and 42(D), Ariz. R. Fam. Law P.  The petition would amend rules regarding substitute and access to service.

Comment to R-11-0038, Petition to Amend Rule 55, Ariz. R. Civ. P, Rule 44, Ariz. R. Fam. Law P.  The petition would amend entry of default judgment rules.

Comment to R-11-0046, Petition to Amend Rule 42, ER 7.5(a), Ariz. R.  The petition would eliminate the prohibition against trade names for law firms.

Comment to R-12-0002, Petition to Amend Rule 34, Ariz. R. S. Ct.  The petition would allow law students to take the Uniform Arizona Bar Examination in February of their third year law school.

Comment to R-12-0020, Petition to Amend Rule 38(j), Ariz. R. S. Ct. The petition would allow for admission of military spouses.

Comment to R-12-0018, Petition to Amend Rule 42, ER 8.4., Ariz. R. S. Ct.  The petition would amend Comment [3] regarding attorney behavior.

Petition to Amend Rule 38, Ariz. R. S. Ct. to increase and clarify the pool of lawyers eligible to provide pro bono services.

Petition to Amend Rule 42, ERs 1.5, 4.2, 4.3, 6.5, Ariz. R. St. Ct., Rules 5.2 and 11, Ariz. R. Civ. P.  The petition would amend ethical and procedural rules to facilitate lawyer's ability to engage in limited-scope or short-term legal representation.

The State Bar has already filed these documents with the Court:

Petition to Amend Rule 9, Ariz. R. Civ. App. P. would codify into the rule the existing Arizona practice and process for suspending an appeal and re-vesting jurisdiction in the superior court.

Comment to R-11-0018, Petition to Amend Rule 10(d), Ariz. R. Civ. P. regarding line spacing and the number of lines per page in court filings.

Comment to R-11-0016, Rule 32, Ariz. R. Crim. P. The petition would repeal the rule for lack of jurisdiction and a violation of constitutional law.

Comment to R-11-0017, Petition to Amend Rule 26(b)(4), Ariz. R. Civ. P.  The petition would conform the Arizona rule to Rule 26(b)(4), Federal R. Civ. P. to provide work product protection for most communication with expert witnesses.

Comment to R-12-0006 and appendices A, B, C, Petition to Adopt Justice Court Rules of Civil Procedure for civil lawsuits.

Comments to R-11-0019, Rule 7, Ariz. R. Civ. App. P. that would confirm Rule 7 to recently enacted A.R.S. §12-2108.

Comments to R-11-0023, Ariz. R. Probate P., to amend various probate rules to improve judicial oversight and processing of probate matters.

Petition to Amend Rule 53(b)(3) Ariz. R. Civ. P. regarding appointing special masters. 

Motion for time extension regarding R-11-0030, Rules 34, 35, 37, 38, Ariz. R. S. Ct. to permit admission to the practice of law by transfer of a uniform bar examination score from another jurisdiction and Comment to R-11-0030.

Petition to Abrogate Rule 16(g)(2), Ariz. R. Civ. P. to abrogate and revise alternative dispute resolution requirements. 

Petition to Amend Rule 1(M), Ariz. R. Protective Order P. to require the clerk of the issuing court to promptly mail proof of service of a protective order to plaintiffs.

Petition to Amend Rule 31(d), Ariz. R. S. Ct. regarding fee arbitration proceedings.

Petition to Amend Rule 56, Ariz. R. Civ. P. to conform Federal Rule 56: amend summary judgment: amend time to file motions.

Petition to Amend Rule 8(c) Ariz. R. Civ. P. to delete "discharge in bankruptcy" as an affirmative defense.

Petition to Amend Rule 42, ER 5.5(d), Ariz. R. S. Ct. to conform the rule to ABA Model Rule 5.5(d).

Motion to withdraw R-10-0031, Petition to Amend Rule 42, ER 8.4 that would make bias against certain classifications of people professional misconduct and would add the classification of "gender identity or expression" to the enumerated classifications.

The State Bar filed a response to ABA Rule 1.10(a) allowing lawyers to undertake representation adverse to a current firm client, so long as the matter are not "substantially related."

Please contact Government Relations at 602.340.7371 or Kathleen.Lundgren@staff.azbar.org for more information about obtaining Board approval.