These rules do not extend or limit the jurisdiction of the superior courts or the venue of actions in those courts.
Rule 82.Jurisdiction and venue unaffected.
Last verified July 1, 2026
In one sentenceRule 82 confirms that the civil procedure rules don't change which cases the superior courts can hear or which county is the proper venue for an action.
Full Text of Rule 82
Amendment History
Promulgated by R-16-0010, effective January 1, 2017.
Plain-English Summary
Procedural rules govern how a case is litigated, not whether a court has the power to hear it in the first place. Rule 82 makes that boundary explicit for the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure: nothing in the rules extends or limits the superior courts' subject-matter jurisdiction, and nothing in the rules changes where venue properly lies for a given action.
Jurisdiction and venue instead come from the Arizona Constitution, statutes, and other substantive law. This rule confirms that the civil procedure rules operate within those boundaries rather than redrawing them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure give a superior court jurisdiction it wouldn't otherwise have?
No. Rule 82 confirms the rules don't extend or limit the superior courts' jurisdiction; that comes from the constitution, statutes, and other law.
Do these rules affect where venue is proper for a lawsuit?
No. The rules don't extend or limit venue either; they operate within whatever jurisdiction and venue rules already apply.
Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the
official Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure (Ariz. R. Civ. P. 82). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Arizona (Ariz. Const. art. 6, § 5). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: jurisdiction and venue rule