Public survey affirms Superior Court’s commitment to fairness, respect
by Timothy Tait
PHOENIX (June 14, 2022) – In a biannual survey of Maricopa County Superior Court customers conducted in early 2022, 90% of respondents reported being treated with courtesy and respect, and more than 80% indicated that they were treated the same as others and that the judge listened to them before making a decision.
The findings of the Court Access and Fair Treatment Survey affirm the Court’s values of Fairness, Respect, Integrity, Innovation and Safety.
“The judicial officers and court administrators at the Superior Court in Maricopa County are constantly working to improve the safe, fair and efficient delivery of court services,” said Joseph C. Welty, presiding judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court. “Biannual customer surveys and self-reflection are critical to the process of improvement.”
Key findings include:
- Treated with courtesy and respect – 90% agreement
- Felt safe in the courthouse – 90% agreement
- Court staff paid attention to my needs – 87% agreement
- Court removes barriers to service – 86% agreement
- Able to get business done in a reasonable amount of time – 85% agreement
- “I know what to do next” – 85% agreement
- The judge had the needed information to make a good decision – 82% agreement
- My case was handled fairly – 78% agreement
The survey is a snapshot of opinions from customers who were in Court facilities on Feb. 16 and voluntarily participated in the paper or electronic survey. In all, 471 people participated in the survey, an increase of 2.6% from 2020. Of those who completed the survey, 40% were first-time visitors to the Court, 36% were just filing paperwork and 9% were attending a hearing. Family matters were being conducted by 35% of those who took the survey, while 24% were in Court for a criminal issue.
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The Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County is comprised of Superior Court, Adult Probation and Juvenile Probation, which includes juvenile detention. The Judicial Branch in Maricopa County is the fourth largest trial court system in the nation and, along with its 3,000 employees, is dedicated to providing a safe, fair and impartial forum for resolving disputes, enhancing access to services, and providing innovative, evidence-based practices that improve the safety of the community and ensure the public’s trust and confidence in the Judicial Branch. For more information, visit www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov.
Contact: Timothy Tait, Communications Director Timothy.Tait@jbazmc.maricopa.gov 602-506-7570 (office) -or- 602-526-4776 (mobile)