West Mesa Justice Court

The West Mesa Justice Court is a limited jurisdiction court that handles minor offenses such as misdemeanor crimes and traffic violations that occurred within the boundaries of the West Mesa Justice Precinct (a map of the precinct is below). This area includes portions of the 101 freeway next to downtown Scottsdale as well as the portions of the Salt River Indian Community and the Talking Stick Resort.

Basic Information

Court Address

2050 W. University Drive
Mesa, AZ 85201

Court Information

  • Judge: Elaissia Sears
  • Phone: (602) 506-8100
  • Fax: (480) 969-1098
  • Email Form: Form

Parking and Security Information

  • Park in the front lot of the courthouse
  • Parking is free
  • Visitors are required to pass through metal detectors
  • Items brought into the courthouse go through xray machines
  • Children are allowed in the courtroom, but will be asked to leave if being disruptive

Payment Link for Court:  Link

Location of West Mesa Justice Court

The West Mesa Justice Court is located at 2050 W. University Dr, Mesa, AZ 85201, located at the corner of University Street and Dobson Road. The building doesn’t look like a typical court from the outside because it was actually a converted bank. You will even see the areas that used to be teller windows when you drive into the parking lot. It is easily accessible by either the 101 or the 202 Freeways. 

West Mesa Justice Precinct

Every court has a specific jurisdiction that it oversees. For the West Mesa Justice Court to have jurisdiction over a misdemeanor crime, then it must occur within the set precinct boundaries. A map of the court’s boundaries is below:

Map of the West Mesa Justice Court Precinct

If a case is brought in the West Mesa Justice Court but the crime did not occur within its boundaries, then the court does not have jurisdiction to hear the case and the charges must be dismissed. The charges may be refiled if the statute of limitations for the crime has not yet run out, but it must be filed in the appropriate court that has jurisdiction over the case.

What is a Justice Court?

Arizona is one of the few states in the country to have the type of court known as a “justice court.” A justice court is a limited jurisdiction court, which means that it only can deal with misdemeanors crimes. If a case is charged as a felony, it is out of the jurisdiction of the justice court and must be handled by the Maricopa County Superior Court.

All justice courts can hear any type of crime that is a misdemeanor. They also hear every type of civil and criminal traffic violation, as well as civil lawsuits (private lawsuits between individuals) where the amount in dispute is less than $10,000.

One of the unique aspects of a justice court is that the judge is called a justice of the peace and is an elected official. Justices of the peace are voted into their office for a four-year term. Many people are surprised by this fact, but a justice of the peace does not have to be a lawyer to be elected. Many justices of the peace in Arizona are not, in fact lawyers, but they have the same powers as any other judge for a limited jurisdiction court in Arizona.

West Mesa Justice of the Peace

The justice of the peace for West Mesa is a Elaissia Sears. Judge Sears was elected the Justice of the Peace as a Democrat after winning the general election in November 6, 2018, beating out the incumbent Republican Justice of the Peace Fred Arnett.  She assumed her office in 2019. Her current term ends on December 31, 2022.

Picture of Justice of the Peace Elaissia Sears

The justice of the peace for West Mesa is a Elaissia Sears. Judge Sears was elected the Justice of the Peace as a Democrat after winning the general election in November 6, 2018, beating out the incumbent Republican Justice of the Peace Fred Arnett.  She assumed her office in 2019. Her current term ends on December 31, 2022.

How Did My Case End up in the West Mesa Justice Court?

If you have a case that is assigned to the West Mesa Justice Court, that means that you have likely been charged with a misdemeanor criminal offense. This is as opposed to a felony offense, which would require the case to be charged in one of the superior courts in Arizona.

Whether you are sent to a justice court or one of the city courts also depends on which police agency arrested you. If you were arrested by the Scottsdale Police or Mesa Police, then you will likely have been charged in either the Scottsdale or Mesa City court. However, if you were arrested by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department, or if you are non-native arrested by the Salt River Police Department, then you will likely be charged in the West Mesa Justice Court if the crime you allegedly committed was within West Mesa Precinct.

How Should I Dress to Attend Court?

If you are attending court, the rule of thumb is to dress professionally as if you were going to a job interview. Men should wear at least a dress shirt and tie, preferably with a suit or jacket. Women should wear a nice dress or a woman’s business suit, such as a conservative pants suit or conservative top and long slacks.

Common Offenses in West Mesa

Common offenses that we see charged in the West Mesa Justice Court involve criminal traffic violations. Since the jurisdiction for the West Mesa Justice Court covers many of the major freeways located next to Scottsdale and the Talking Stick Casino, DUI charges are very common in this court.

Fun Fact

Stewart Salwin was the Deputy County Attorney for the West Mesa Justice court when he first began his career as a prosecutor at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. He was in charge of prosecuting all the criminal charges that went through the West Mesa Justice Court. Given the jurisdiction of the justice court along the 101 Freeway next to Downtown Scottsdale and Talking Stick Resort, this included innumerable DUI cases–which were very common charges that were sent to West Mesa.