Resolve outstanding warrants at Warrant Resolution Court June 11
The Pima County Consolidated Justice Court kicks off its first Warrant Resolution Court Saturday, June 11, at the Pima County Justice Court, 240 N. Stone Ave. The Warrant Resolution Court is intended as an easy way for people with outstanding warrants to resolve pending legal issues on a walk-in basis.
This event will be held simultaneously with these other Tucson-area courts:
Tucson City Court and South Tucson City Court cases will be heard at Tucson City Court, 103 E. Alameda, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pima County Justice Court, Sahuarita Municipal Court, Oro Valley Magistrate Court and Marana Municipal Court cases will be heard at the Pima County Consolidated Justice Court, 240 N. Stone Ave., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Anyone with a warrant issued by Pima County Consolidated Justice Court or one of these other courts can appear to have their warrant quashed. Parking will be available at no cost at the public parking facility just south of the court building with entry on Grossetta Avenue.
“We anticipate that most people who come to the event with a warrant from our court will have the opportunity to have their outstanding warrant quashed,” Pima County Consolidated Justice Court Administrator Doug Kooi said.
Pima County Justice Court has approximately 20,000 active warrants issued from 31 different agencies, some dating as far back as 1990. Most of these outstanding warrants are for failure to appear in court on prior charges or for non-compliance of court sentencing orders. Outstanding warrants result in the suspension of a person’s driver license and the Warrant Resolution Court will be an opportunity to quash these warrants, lift suspensions and have driver’s licenses reinstated by the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicles Division.
For those who owe court fees and fines, there will be nine service windows open to quickly and easily resolve these matters by setting up payment plans or reestablishing a payment plan already in place.
Justice Court will have as many as six courtrooms open where judges will hear cases. In addition, the Pima County Attorney’s Office and Pima County Office of Court Appointed Counsel will have attorneys in each courtroom to facilitate the resolution of these outstanding warrants.
Judge Maria Felix, the Chief Administrative Judge for Pima County Consolidated Justice Court, stated that this event is a result of goals established from the recent grant awarded to Pima County by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s “Safety and Justice Challenge” to reduce the number of non-violent, misdemeanor offenders in jail and to reduce the racial and ethnic disproportionality seen in jails.
She notes that in addition to assisting citizens desiring to resolve their outstanding warrants, taxpayers will also benefit from savings in potential jail costs.
Court officials hope the community sees this event as an opportunity for people who work, go to school, or have any other week-day issues to address their warrant status without interruption in their weekday schedule. Although walk-ins are welcome, those who want to resolve outstanding warrants are encouraged to call the court in advance to ensure prompt resolution. Individuals with warrants issued from Pima County Justice Court should call (520) 724-3171.
As part of the court's commitment to the Safety and Justice Challenge, the court is already planning its next Saturday Warrant Resolution Court for October 1.