This bill proposes significant changes to the structure of the Arizona Court of Appeals by eliminating Division 2 and its associated judgeships. Under the new law, the Court of Appeals would operate as a single entity serving all counties in Arizona, reducing the total number of judges from 28 to 19. The bill specifies that all current judges of Division 2 may continue to serve until their terms expire, and all court sessions would be held exclusively in Phoenix, rather than in both Phoenix and Tucson as currently practiced.

Additionally, the bill modifies residency and election requirements for judges to reflect the elimination of Division 2. It transfers any unexpended and unencumbered funds from Division 2 to a designated entity for the purposes of the reorganized Court of Appeals. The legislative council staff is tasked with preparing conforming legislation for future consideration, and the bill includes a statement of legislative intent to ensure the smooth transition to the new structure.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 12-120, 12-120.01, 12-120.02, 12-120.04