How Long Does Small Claims Court Take in Arizona

The Standard Timeline: About 3 Months

The procedural deadlines can put a hearing about 80 days after service if you use all 20 days to answer and the court uses the full 60 days to schedule the hearing. A written decision issued after the hearing can add up to 10 business days.

Days 1–20: Answer period. You have 20 calendar days from service to file a written Answer. Most defendants file within the first two weeks.

Days 21–80: Hearing scheduling. Under A.R.S. § 22-515(A), the court must schedule the hearing within 60 calendar days after the Answer is filed. In practice, busier precincts (Maricopa, Pima) sometimes run closer to the 60-day mark, while rural precincts may schedule sooner.

Hearing day: Usually 30–60 minutes. Small claims hearings are informal and typically take half an hour to an hour. Both sides present evidence, the judge or hearing officer asks questions, and a decision is usually announced the same day or mailed shortly after.

Total: about 80 days from service to hearing if you use all 20 answer days, plus up to 10 business days for a written decision.

What Extends the Timeline

Continuances. Either party can request a postponement by filing a written Motion for Continuance at least 15 calendar days before the hearing, showing good cause. Medical emergencies, conflicts with other court dates, and the need to obtain critical evidence are common grounds. Each granted continuance adds 2–6 weeks depending on the court's calendar.

Default and cure. If the defendant misses the 20-day deadline, the plaintiff files an Application for Entry of Default. That triggers a 10-judicial-day cure window. If the defendant answers within the cure period, the case continues — but the default cycle added 2–3 weeks.

Counterclaim filings. A counterclaim gives the plaintiff 20 additional calendar days to file a Reply, then the court schedules a hearing. This can push the timeline out by a month.

Transfer to Civil Division. If either party exercises the right to transfer, the case enters the regular Civil Division's scheduling queue. Civil Division cases take significantly longer — 4 to 8 months is common, especially if discovery is involved.

Mediation. Court-connected mediation (offered in Maricopa, Pima, and some rural courts) typically happens on the hearing date itself and adds no extra time. If the parties request a separate mediation session, it may delay the hearing by a few weeks.

How to Request a Continuance

File a written Motion for Continuance at least 15 calendar days before your hearing date. The motion should state:

• Your case number and hearing date
• The specific reason you need a postponement
• Whether the opposing party consents or objects
• Proposed alternative dates, if you have them

Emergency continuances submitted closer to the hearing date require extraordinary justification — documented hospitalization, a death in the immediate family, or a similarly unavoidable circumstance. "I need more time to prepare" generally isn't sufficient for a last-minute request, though it may work if filed within the 15-day window.

The judge has discretion to grant or deny continuances. First-time requests with reasonable cause are usually granted.

After the Judgment

If the defendant pays promptly, the case wraps up within a week of the hearing. The plaintiff files a Satisfaction of Judgment, the court closes the case, and both sides move on.

If the defendant doesn't pay voluntarily, collection extends the timeline indefinitely. The plaintiff must file for garnishment, serve the writs, wait for processing, and potentially renew the judgment if it takes years to collect. Under A.R.S. § 12-1551, a creditor can seek execution or other enforcement process within 10 years after entry of judgment and within 10 years after each renewal.

For defendants, the practical advice is the same at every stage: respond on time, prepare your evidence, and show up. Each missed deadline or procedural misstep adds weeks to a process that's designed to move quickly.

Get the complete Arizona Small Claims Response Guide — includes a day-by-day timeline tracker and deadline calculator.

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