Commercial Court

The Arizona Supreme Court recently established a pilot program that provides a new superior court venue for commercial litigation. The three-year pilot program will begin July 1, 2015 in Maricopa County. The Commercial Court is a venue to resolve controversies that arise in commercial settings expeditiously and to reduce the expense of litigation.

With the entry of Administrative Order 2015-15, the Supreme Court adopted a new rule of civil procedure, Experimental Rule 8.1, for the pilot program, as well as new forms for a joint report and proposed scheduling order in commercial cases. Except as specifically modified by Experimental Rule 8.1, the other rules of civil procedure still apply.

Any cases that were filed before July 1, 2015 will not be eligible for transfer to the Commercial Court.

Pilot Project Report and Administrative Orders

• Commercial Court Advisory Committee Report
• Supreme Court Administrative Order 2017-17
• Supreme Court Administrative Order 2015-86
• Superior Court Administrative Order 2015-055

Judge's Biographies and Commercial Court Protocols

Honorable Roger Brodman

• Biography
• Protocol

Honorable Daniel Martin

• Biography
• Protocol

Honorable Timothy Thomason

• Biography
• Protocol

Honorable Christopher Whitten

• Biography
• Protocol

Commercial Court Rule and Forms

• Civil Cover Sheet
• Civil Cover Sheet - Spanish Version
• Electronically Stored Information Checklist
• Experimental Rule 8.1 (Revised and Effective as of Feb. 8, 2017)
• Form 14(a) - Joint Report: Commercial Case (Revised and Effective as of Feb. 8, 2017)
• Form 14(b) - Proposed Scheduling Order: Commercial Case
• Model Stipulated Order Re: Discovery of Electronically Stored Information
• Sample Notice of Assignment to Commercial Court

Other Documents and Information

• Commercial Court Decision Repository - Please note that you will need to have Westlaw access to use the repository. Also, several decisions pre-date the formation of the Commercial Court on July 1, 2015. The repository will be updated as decisions are issued by the Commercial Court judges.
• Please note that Commercial Court cases filed in the Court's Northeast and Southeast facilities will be assigned to one of the four Commercial judges, all of whom work downtown. If you file a Commercial Court case in either Northeast or Southeast and need an emergency hearing (e.g., a Temporary Restraining Order or a Preliminary Injunction), you will have to call 602-506-7892. The court staff who answers the call will give you the name of the assigned judge and direct you to the judicial officer's division assigned to your case.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

For more information on Commercial Court please view the Arizona Judicial Branch Supreme Court Administrative Order 2015-015.