Arizona Appellate Handbook 2.0, Volumes One and Two (2020) & 2024 Update - Print Version

Based on a survey of our members conducted two years ago, the new Arizona Appellate Handbook 2.0 has been revised and improved to make it a better resource. Instead of each individual practice area repeating the same information, it now uses a “hub and spoke” approach.

In Volume One, the first 12 chapters address appeals, in general, and issues implicated by appeals of all kinds. These include:

• overview of the jurisdiction, composition and organization of Arizona’s appellate courts
• preparing for an appeal
• filing an appeal as of right with the Arizona Court of Appeals
• special actions
• critical aspects of appeals including motion practice on appeal, the appellate record, standards of review, appellate briefs, amicus curiae practice and oral argument
• decisions and post-decision proceedings in the Arizona Court of Appeals, and practice before the Arizona Supreme Court.

Six additional chapters rounding up Volume One supplement these first dozen chapters by addressing special considerations in specific types of appeals: 

• civil
• criminal,
• family
• juvenile
• workers’ compensation/Industrial Commission, and 
• election appeals

Volume Two addresses the forms of review that take place outside of the Arizona Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. These include:

• the appellate capacity of the superior court in hearing appeals from limited jurisdiction courts
• conducting judicial review under the Administrative Review Act and the Administrative Procedure Act.
• proceedings before the OAH 
• special actions filed in superior court, and
• special considerations associated with appeals from particular agencies.

Special Features of Digital Version: The digital version of the new handbooks includes special features making them more user-friendly. The text is searchable and includes hyperlinks to case law, statutes, relevant web information, and links to internal cross-references. Model forms and useful appendices are included in the digital format for ease of use.

2024 Chapter Revisions:

• Chapter 3 – Filing an Appeal
• Chapter 10 – Oral Argument
• Chapters 13 and 13A – Civil Appeals
• Chapters 14 and 14A Criminal Appeals
• Chapters 16 and 16A – Juvenile Appeals
• Chapter 20 – Office of Administrative Hearings
• Chapters 21 and 21A – Justice Court Civil Appeals
• Chapter 27 – Department of Economic Security Reviews

The Appellate Handbook 2.0 would not have been possible without the substantial contributions of our tireless volunteer committee members.