The Municipal Court, in partnership with the Prosecutor's Office and Public Defender's Office, has specialty problem-solving courts that rely on evidence-based best practices and procedures to provide long-term solutions for offenders.
Community Court
The City of Phoenix Community Court is a specialty court designed to connect
participants who lack access to reliable shelter with the tools and resources
necessary to establish stable housing and a stable life. The Community Court is
a holistic attempt to provide long-term solutions that positively impact unsheltered
people while also benefitting the greater community. The Community Court is a collaborative effort
between multiple City departments, including the Municipal Court, City
Prosecutor's Office, Public Defender’s Office, and the Office of Homeless
Solutions with the goal of assisting unsheltered individuals who have been cited
or arrested. Click here for more information on Community Court and the Prosecutor’s role in it.
Veterans Court
Veterans Court is a problem-solving alternative court that addresses the unique needs of defendants who are veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The goal of Veterans Court is to restore veterans to being successful, contributing members of the community by ensuring that veterans entering the criminal justice system make contact with specific programs to address the root causes of the behavior that resulted in the veteran becoming a defendant in the criminal justice system. Visit the Veterans Court web page for more information.
Behavioral Health Court
The Behavioral Health Court (BHC) is a problem-solving alternative court setting for the unique needs of individuals with certain mental illnesses. The many goals of BHC include: reduced recidivism and incarceration of individuals with mental illness through early intervention, and increased treatment engagement, collaboration and coordination with criminal justice, mental health and other community partners. Many times, getting to the root of underlying issues, addressing them, and providing consistent and coordinated care helps a person heal and change direction, taking that person out of the criminal justice system. Although a departure from traditional systems of justice, this approach has been proven effective in Phoenix and other jurisdictions.
Behavioral Health Court is a collaboration of the Municipal Court, Public Defender's Office, Prosecutor's Office and behavioral
health professionals working these specialized cases together with individuals who have been assessed and assigned to BHC.
Success with BHC translates to a healthier and safer community and reduces the cost and burden to Phoenix.
If you have any questions concerning whether a case or an individual is appropriate for Behavioral Health Court, please contact:
Behavioral Health Coordinator
City of Phoenix Public Defender's Office
300 W Washington St, 4th Floor
Phoenix, AZ 85003
Phone: (602) 262-1838
