Effective January 1, 2020, Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals will discontinue the use of a motions panel to decide motions filed before a case is assigned to a merits panel.

Effective January 1, 2020, Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals will discontinue the use of a motions panel to decide motions filed before a case is assigned to a merits panel.

Under current practice in Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals, a three-judge motions panel—known as “Department M”—decides many substantive motions filed in cases not yet assigned to merits panels.  Chief Judge Peter Swann issued an administrative order discontinuing the practice effective January 1, 2020.

Beginning January 1, the Chief Judge will first consider substantive motions filed in cases not yet assigned to a merits panel.  If the Chief Judge determines that fuller consideration by a three-judge merits panel is warranted, the Chief Judge will refer the motion to the next currently-constituted merits panel under the organization order.