duistatelaws.com Key takeaways
- Tempe’s City Prosecutor lists DUI by name among the traffic and criminal complaints it prosecutes; felonies go to the Maricopa County Attorney.
- The pre-trial conference can be virtual, and the division you log in to is the last digit of your case number.
- The court states that no sentence it imposes will exceed $2,500 plus surcharges, 6 months in jail or 5 years of probation.
- An appeal goes to the Maricopa County Superior Court; the notice is due within 14 calendar days and no new evidence is heard.
- Veterans may be referred to the East Valley Regional Veterans Court, which sits every week.
- 30 days to request the license hearing from MVD.
from the date you were served with the notice to demand a hearing from Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division. The request goes to MVD, not to the court, and no judge in Maricopa County will make it for you. A.R.S. § 28-1321(F), (G).
Tempe’s Municipal Court publishes its criminal process as a single walk-through, from the ticket to the appeal, and the City Prosecutor’s page says in so many words that its criminal division prosecutes “traffic and criminal complaints, including DUI”. That lets you see the whole path before the first court date.
This page follows that path in the order the court describes it, with the details that are Tempe’s own. What the law requires on conviction — jail floors, the interlock, the screening and treatment — is the same across the state and is set out on the Arizona DUI law page.
The same diagram as a table
| Step | Criminal case — decided by a court | License case — decided by a state agency |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrest and booking, hour 0 | Notice of suspension served, day 0 |
| 2 | Charge filed by the prosecutor | Deadline to demand a hearing: 7 to 30 days in the eight states on this site that use an agency hearing |
| 3 | First court setting, on a date the court picks | Hearing held if the request was filed — whether the suspension waits for the ruling is set by each state's statute |
| 4 | One or more pretrial settings | Suspension takes effect automatically with no hearing |
| 5 | Trial, plea or dismissal | — |
| Clock | Weeks to months. No filing deadline runs against the driver. | Counted in days from the notice, and fixed by statute. |
Where a Tempe DUI is heard
The Tempe Municipal Court is at 140 E. Fifth St., in downtown Tempe, two blocks east of Mill Avenue between the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and the Tempe Transportation Center. The City Prosecutor’s Office lists its mailing address in the same building, suite #303. The court is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, and closed on weekends and on the city’s legal holidays, which it lists by date.
Tempe Municipal Court
- Hears
- Criminal misdemeanors and criminal traffic complaints filed by the City, DUI among them
- Building
- Tempe Municipal Court, downtown on Fifth Street
- Address
- 140 E. Fifth St., Tempe, AZ 85281
- Detail
- The court places itself two blocks east of Mill Avenue, between the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and the Tempe Transportation Center
- Hours
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
- Phone
- 480-350-8270 (Criminal Division); 480-350-8271 (main)
- Why it matters
- The City Hall Parking Garage, 117 E. Fifth St., is across the street; the first hour is free and the court can validate longer stays.
Tempe City Prosecutor’s Office
- Role
- The Criminal Division of the City Attorney’s Office; prosecutes Tempe misdemeanors, including DUI
- Building
- City Prosecutor’s Office (mailing address #303)
- Address
- 140 E. Fifth St., Tempe, AZ 85281
- Detail
- Discovery is requested in writing: online, on the office’s form, or in person. Messages are answered within 5 to 7 business days, the office says
- Hours
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm; closed 11:30am to 12:30pm
- Phone
- 480-350-8280, option 3
- Why it matters
- Felonies arising in Tempe are prosecuted by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
The City Hall Parking Garage, 117 E. Fifth St., is directly across the street. The court says the first hour is free and that it can validate parking for the time you spend on court business. Court dates, the status of a motion and any balance due are posted at courtcaseinfo.tempe.gov, and the criminal division’s own line is 480-350-8270.
The court also takes part in three treatment courts: the East Valley Regional Veterans Court, the Maricopa County Regional Homeless Court and a Mental Health Court.
Not sure which court your case is in?
Enter the ZIP code where the arrest happened and the full form opens with it filled in.
From the ticket to the pre-trial conference
Two deadlines start at once. After a failed or refused test the notice of suspension gives you 30 days to request a hearing from MVD. That request goes to the state agency, not to the court on Fifth Street, and it does not wait for the criminal case.
Arraignment. The court explains that your arraignment date is the appearance date on the citation the officer gave you, the date on a summons if you received one, or the date on your release order if you were released from jail. At arraignment you enter a plea: not guilty, no contest or guilty. No witnesses attend and no testimony is taken, and the court states that the judge at arraignment will not grant a request to dismiss the charges. A not-guilty plea can be changed later to resolve the case before trial. If an offense qualifies for one of the City Prosecutor’s diversion programs, the court says the information is given at arraignment.
Pre-trial conference. After a not-guilty plea the court schedules a pre-trial conference, where you and your lawyer meet a prosecutor, may review the complaint, police reports and other evidence the State intends to use, and may receive a settlement offer. The court lists four options at that point: accept the offer, move to continue for more time to consider it, plead guilty or no contest directly to the judge without an agreed sentence, or keep the not-guilty plea and have the case set for trial. It also warns that failing to appear, remotely or in person, may bring an arrest warrant and the loss of posted bail.
Unless the judge has ordered you to appear in person, the conference can be attended virtually. The court asks the defendant or the lawyer to contact the State at least five business days beforehand to discuss a possible resolution. On the day, you go to the court’s virtual court page and pick the division, which is the last digit of the case number: the court’s example is that 26-000000-1 is Criminal Division 1.
| What happened | First time | With a prior | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the test | at least 90 days | — | A.R.S. § 28-1385(H) |
| Refused the test | 12 months | 2 years | A.R.S. § 28-1321(B) |
Trial, sentence and the appeal
Trial. Depending on the offense, the court says, you are entitled to a jury or a non-jury trial. Witnesses you plan to call must be disclosed to the Prosecutor’s Office in writing within ten days of the case being set for trial. Exhibits may have to go through the court’s digital evidence platform, and evidence shown on a personal device is held by the court for at least 14 days, pending the right to appeal.
The ceiling. The court states that for some offenses there are statutory minimum sentences the judge must impose, and that in no instance will a sentence exceed $2,500 in fines plus surcharges, six months in jail, or five years of probation. The statewide DUI floors that sit under that ceiling are on the Arizona page. Payment in full is expected on the day of sentencing; time to pay may be allowed on a financial showing, with a state-mandated time-payment fee added.
Appeal. After a trial, a final judgment can be appealed to the Maricopa County Superior Court, and the notice of appeal must be filed within 14 calendar days. The court is explicit about what that appeal is: the Superior Court reviews the issues of law from the trial, it is not a retrial of the facts, and no new evidence or testimony is allowed.
Talking to the prosecutor. The City Prosecutor’s Office says the first opportunity is the pre-trial conference, and that if you have a lawyer all contact goes through the lawyer. Before then it can be reached at criminalpros-info@tempe.gov or 480-350-8280, option 3, and it says to expect a reply within five to seven business days. Its office closes for lunch from 11:30am to 12:30pm. Evidence you want to add goes to the police non-emergency line if the case is not yet set for trial, and to the Prosecutor’s Office once it is.
DUI cases in and around Tempe
The split is the same one the City Prosecutor states for itself: misdemeanors inside Tempe are the city’s, felonies go to the Maricopa County Attorney, and the Superior Court is where an appeal goes.
| Stage or situation | County | Where the case goes |
|---|---|---|
| A misdemeanor DUI inside Tempe | Maricopa | Tempe Municipal Court, prosecuted by the City Prosecutor |
| A felony DUI arising in Tempe | Maricopa | Maricopa County Attorney’s Office |
| An appeal after a Tempe trial | Maricopa | Maricopa County Superior Court, notice within 14 calendar days |
| A veteran charged with a misdemeanor in Tempe | Maricopa | May be referred to the East Valley Regional Veterans Court |
The East Valley Regional Veterans Court takes cases from seven participating municipal courts, Tempe among them, and sits every week.
The East Valley Regional Veterans Court is open to veterans charged with a misdemeanor in any of its participating courts — Chandler, Carefree-Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale and Tempe — whose cases cannot be handled through diversion, regardless of discharge status or length of service. The court says graduates may earn a dismissal or a reduction in charges, and that the prosecutor in any participating municipality can refuse admission if it would violate the law or the interest of justice. To be considered, you ask your attorney, the prosecutor or the judge. The neighboring pages on this site are Mesa, Scottsdale and Gilbert, and Phoenix covers the Superior Court buildings.
Common questions about Tempe DUI cases
Where is the Tempe Municipal Court?
At 140 E. Fifth St., Tempe, AZ 85281, two blocks east of Mill Avenue between the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and the Tempe Transportation Center. It is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. The criminal division's number is 480-350-8270.
Who prosecutes a DUI in Tempe?
The City Prosecutor's Office, the criminal division of the Tempe City Attorney's Office, for misdemeanors including DUI. Felonies occurring in Tempe are prosecuted by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.
Can I attend my Tempe pre-trial conference online?
Yes, unless the judge has ordered you to appear in person. The court asks you or your lawyer to contact the State at least five business days before, and on the day you choose the division matching the last digit of your case number.
What is the most a Tempe court sentence can be?
The court states that no sentence will exceed $2,500 in fines plus surcharges, six months in jail, or five years of probation. Statutory minimums still apply below that.
How long do I have to appeal a Tempe DUI conviction?
Fourteen calendar days from the judgment to file the notice of appeal with the Maricopa County Superior Court. The appeal reviews issues of law only; no new evidence is heard.
How long do I have to request an MVD hearing?
Thirty days from the notice of suspension. The request goes to the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division, not to the Tempe court.
Request a review of your Maricopa case
Free, no obligation, and you decide who, if anyone, you speak with.
Your request is ready to send
Here is what happens after you submit:
- We pass your answers only to attorneys licensed in the state where the arrest happened, when one is taking requests for that area.
- Never to more than three. Only those attorneys and duistatelaws.com may use your details to contact you.
- You decide who, if anyone, you speak with. You are not committed to anyone.
Submitting this request does not create an attorney–client relationship.
More for Arizona
- Arizona DUI law — the full penalty matrix, the statutes, and the rules on priors and interlock
- Phoenix and Maricopa County — the same state, a different courthouse problem
- Gilbert and Maricopa County — the same state, a different courthouse problem
- Scottsdale and Maricopa County — the same state, a different courthouse problem
- Mesa and Maricopa County — the same state, a different courthouse problem
- Tucson and Pima County — the same state, a different courthouse problem
- Refusing a breathalyzer — what implied consent costs here against what it buys
- How long it stays on your record — three records, three clocks
- SR-22 insurance after an Arizona suspension — what the filing certifies and how long it runs
- Ignition interlock providers and costs in Arizona — what the device costs and who installs it
Sources
- City of Tempe, Tempe Municipal Court (read in a browser; the site refuses scripted requests) — read September 28, 2026
- City of Tempe, Municipal Court, criminal and criminal traffic cases — read September 28, 2026
- City of Tempe, Municipal Court, contact, location and parking — read September 28, 2026
- City of Tempe, Municipal Court, treatment courts — read September 28, 2026
- City of Tempe, East Valley Regional Veterans Court — read September 28, 2026
- City of Tempe, City Prosecutor’s Office — read September 28, 2026
- A.R.S. § 28-1381(A)(2) and the rest of the Arizona statutes cited on this page — read in force 2026
Court addresses, hours and phone numbers were read from each court’s or office’s own published page on September 28, 2026. Those change without notice; confirm before you rely on them. No judge is named anywhere on this page, because a roster is exactly the kind of detail that goes stale silently.