The Arizona Supreme Court has issued an administrative order ahead of the Nov. 5 general election with the goal of ensuring that general election disputes in Arizona, should they arise, be adjudicated by Arizona trial courts so that there is time for appellate review and final resolution within the existing statutory deadlines.
Administrative Order 2024-199, issued on Oct. 15, 2024, establishes priority for the adjudication of post-general election judicial proceedings to help ensure that legal challenges be heard and decided without delay. Arizona law requires that proceedings such as election contests and recounts be prioritized to ensure their timely resolution, which may require trial judges to delay other proceedings. The Administrative Order provides some relief to those judges whose rulings in other matters are delayed due to priority, post-election matters.
The administrative order requires that election contests be scheduled so that an appealable judgment will be issued in sufficient time for consideration of any appeal. Federal law imposes critical deadlines concerning a state’s electoral votes. If the contest concerns the race for president of the United States, the Administrative Order gives the trial court a deadline of 1 p.m. on Dec. 6 to issue judgment. This allows a window for considering any appeals and issuing final orders in time for Congressional consideration of Arizona’s electoral votes to be guaranteed under federal law.
With this administrative order, Arizona courts are well positioned to act and give any post-election matters the prompt attention required under Arizona and federal law.
View Administrative Order 2024-199 here.
