Memorandum of Understanding

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING 
INITIAL APPEARANCES FOR MUNICIPAL COURTS 
CONDUCTED BY THE SUPERIOR COURT OF ARIZONA IN MARICOPA COUNTY 
 
 
The Superior Court of Arizona in and for the County of Maricopa (“Superior Court”) and 
the 
Municipal Court (“Municipal Court”) hereby enter into this Memorandum of 
Understanding (“MOU”). 
 
 
The Superior Court agrees to conduct the in-custody initial appearance (“IA”) hearings 
for all defendants whose custody is accepted by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (“MCSO”) 
at its Intake Transfer and Release (“ITR”) jail facility for new criminal arrests and warrants in 
cases which will proceed thereafter in the Municipal Court.  The Initial Appearance Court (“IA 
Court”) of the Superior Court will conduct the IA hearings in compliance with Rule 4.2 of the 
Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure (“Rules”).   
 
 
At the IA hearings, the IA Court will set future court dates in the Municipal Court 
according to the dates provided by Municipal Court administrative staff to IA Court 
administrative staff on a regular basis, and will set release conditions in accordance with 
applicable law.  The IA Court will also make a determination of indigency if necessary and 
appoint counsel for indigent defendants in the following circumstances:  
 
(1) Defendants arrested on new driving under the influence (“DUI”) charges, or on 
warrants in pre-conviction DUI cases if it appears they have not previously had 
counsel appointed in the case; and 
(2) Defendants in all other types of criminal cases in which bail has been ordered as a 
term of release, in accordance with Rule 6.1, for the purpose of limited representation 
regarding the bail issue in the event the defendant is unable to post bail.  
 
  
The release orders issued by the IA Court in Municipal Court cases will contain the 
contact information provided by the Municipal Court as set forth below.  The IA Court will 
provide this information to defendants in the release orders issued in Municipal Court cases. 
El Mirage

2 
LOCATION AND CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MUNICIPAL COURT: 
Court/Name:  
_______________________________________ 
Address: 
_______________________________________ 
City, State Zip: 
_______________________________________ 
Phone:  
_______________________________________ 
Either party may terminate its participation in this MOU by written notice to the other, 
and each party agrees to provide at least thirty (30) days’ notice to the other of such termination 
unless extenuating circumstances require a shorter period.  
Each party here by accepts and agrees to the terms of this MOU as evidenced by the 
signatures below.  
___________________________ 
 
______________________________ 
Honorable Jennifer Green 
Honorable  
Presiding Judge – Criminal Department 
Presiding Judge 
Superior Court of Arizona  
 
____________ Municipal Court 
in Maricopa County 
__________________________ 
______________________________ 
Date 
 
Date 
El Mirage City Court
14010 N. El Mirage Rd., Ste. C
El Mirage, AZ 85335
623-815-2186
SIGN
SIGN