2025 September issue of InMaricopa Magazine

GOVERNMENT

Western Pinal Justice Court Patricia Glover ran unopposed for the Justice of the Peace seat last year and was appointed nearly three months early by the Pinal County Board of Supervisors. She will serve through 2028. Glover enjoys “explaining the processes and decisions to people,” helping them understand how the law applies to their case. What is the Western Pinal Justice Court? This court handles small claims, civil traffic violations, criminal misdemeanors, evictions and orders of protection or injunctions against harassment. What types of cases do you most typically hear? Traffic violations and small claims under $10,000. What challenges does the court encounter with a rapidly growing community like Maricopa? We do not have the court staff to support the filings that we have coming in. For example,

TOTAL CASES FILED BY WESTERN PINAL JUSTICE COURT

the Pioneer Justice Court in San Tan Valley has a very similar number of case filings, but they have twice the number of clerks to handle the incoming filings. Because the city of Maricopa has grown as quickly as it has, we haven’t been able to get approval for the staffing positions to keep up with that. We do have a solution pending, but we have to go through the proper steps to get it approved. What are common misunderstandings the public tends to have about the court? A lot of people come in and they’re confused by the steps they need to take. Since we are a lower jurisdiction court, a lot of times people don’t have representation or attorneys to help them navigate the court system, so they’ll ask questions. The court can answer general questions or give general legal information, but we can’t give legal advice because we’re a neutral third party. I think people in general struggle with navigating the court system, so we’ve tried to simplify the processes, like providing

PINAL COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

Pinal County Superior Court is the county’s general jurisdiction trial court, handling larger and more serious cases than the municipal or justice courts. Felonies — such as burglary, aggravated assault and drug trafficking — and civil disputes over $10,000 are heard here. The court also handles divorce, child custody, juvenile cases and probate matters, including wills and estates. The key difference is scope 1 and seriousness: Superior Court addresses major, life-altering legal issues, while municipal and justice courts focus on everyday legal matters with more limited authority. 2317

2,841 traffic

2022 5,163 cases

307 misdemeanors

1,892 civil

123 felonies

4,504 traffic

2023 7,262 cases

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2,423 civil

220 misdemeanors

Felonies

misdemeanors

98

1

115 felonies

2023

Table 1

CRIMINAL CASES FILED IN PINAL COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

4,221 traffic

2024 7,950 cases

2,317 felonies

3,373 civil

240 misdemeanors

2022 2,415 cases

Felonies

2526

misdemeanors

97

116 felonies

1

2023

Table 1

98 misdemeanors

downloadable forms for free. But they still contain a lot of legal jargon, which can be confusing to someone who’s not used to reading it every day. How does your court educate the public? We are currently working on several initiatives to simplify court processes and provide more online options, making it easier for self- represented parties to navigate the system. As chairman of the Forms Committee for the county justice courts, I am developing accessible do-it-yourself packets to guide the public through common procedures. Additionally, we recently added a new website link where people can access information about civil traffic tickets. Visitors can learn about the process, view their hearing dates and even make payments online — eliminating the need to come to the courthouse in person.

misdemeanors

Felonies 2,526 felonies

2023 2,624 cases

Felonies

2534

misdemeanors

55

2023

Table 1

97 misdemeanors

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Felonies 2,589 felonies

misdemeanors

2024 2,589 cases

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55 misdemeanors

Hon. Patricia Glover

misdemeanors

Felonies

InMaricopa.com | September 2025

September 2025 | InMaricopa.com

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