Tempe Municipal Court hears misdemeanor and civil traffic matters arising within Tempe city limits. With a large university population and an active downtown, it sees a high volume of DUI, minor in possession and disorderly conduct cases.
Tempe Municipal Court
140 E. Fifth St., Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 350-8271
The courthouse sits in downtown Tempe between the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and the Tempe Transportation Center, two blocks east of Mill Avenue.
What This Court Handles
Tempe Municipal Court hears criminal misdemeanors and civil traffic matters arising inside the city, along with orders of protection and injunctions against harassment.
Typical charges include misdemeanor DUI, assault, disorderly conduct, shoplifting and theft below the felony threshold, criminal damage, drug paraphernalia, and criminal traffic offenses such as reckless driving and driving on a suspended license.
Felonies are not resolved here. A felony arising in this city is handled by Maricopa County Superior Court.
What to Know
The prosecutor is the city prosecutor, not the county attorney. Charging practice, plea policy and diversion eligibility are set locally and differ from neighbouring cities. The same conduct can resolve quite differently a few miles away.
A class 1 misdemeanor carries up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine plus surcharges. In most cases the conviction outlasts the sentence — it surfaces in background checks and professional licensing, carries immigration consequences for non-citizens, and affects firearm rights where a domestic violence designation attaches.
Diversion eligibility can close early. It is worth asking about before any plea is entered.
Appeals go to Maricopa County Superior Court, not the court of appeals.
Talk to Nova Law Group
Nova Law Group defends misdemeanor and felony charges here and throughout Arizona’s fifteen counties.
Call (480) 405-6767 for a free, confidential consultation.
Related: Arizona Courts · Misdemeanor Defense · DUI Defense · Diversion Programs