If you are charged with a criminal offense occurring in the Flagstaff Justice Court Precinct other than a misdemeanor charged by Flagstaff Police that occurred within Flagstaff city limits, or Sedona Police within Sedona city limits, your case will be filed in Flagstaff Justice Court. Flagstaff Justice Court hears all misdemeanors and petty offenses (those offenses for which you can only be fined such as not having a personal floatation device on a boat) through sentencing. Flagstaff Justice Court also hears felony cases (those more serious cases for which a prison sentence is a possibility) until the case is bound over to Superior Court.

If you receive a citation for a misdemeanor or petty offense, it will look much like a traffic ticket. If it tells you to appear in court on or before a particular date, you must do that or you risk a failure to appear warrant being issued for your arrest. If the citation says “summon,” the Court will send you a summons directing you to appear at a date and time. Again, you must appear to avoid the risk of a warrant. Likewise, you may receive a summons to appear on a felony complaint (which does not look like a traffic ticket), which you must obey.

In the event that you are arrested and booked into jail for either a felony or misdemeanor, you will appear before a judge within 24 hours. At that time, you will be advised of your charges and your rights, appointed a lawyer if your charges and finances qualify you for a court appointed attorney, and release conditions set, which may or may not include requiring you to post a bond to secure your appearance at future hearings which will be set at that time.