St. Johns Justice & Municipal Courts

The St. Johns Justice Court is presided over by the Presiding Justice of the Peace Honorable Butch L. Gunnels. Judge Gunnels is also the Magistrate of the St. Johns Municipal Court.

Civil & Criminal Traffic Violations

If you receive a civil traffic violation, you must take one of the following actions:

• If you are wanting to pay a traffic fine, you will be entering a “responsible” plea. You may pay fines online or via mail.
• You may enroll in and complete a defensive driving course on one moving violation once every 12 months by logging on to the Arizona Judicial Branch website or by calling the Defensive Driving School information line at 888-334-5565.
• You may enter a plea of “not responsible” and have a hearing set to appear before the judge to deny or defend the violation and/or to address multiple offenses. This hearing will also require the appearance of the citing law enforcement officer.

If you received a criminal traffic citation or a petty offense, you must appear in court on the court date provided in the citation or contact the court for instructions.

If you are under the age of 18, you must appear in court with a parent or legal guardian.

Traffic Bond Fee Schedule

Important Notice: You must respond to your citation on or before your court date (appearance date), or it may result in a Failure to Appear Warrant or Default with a suspension of your driver’s license. Your court date on your citation is not your date of trial.

Failure to respond to a criminal traffic violation or petty offense by the date indicated on your citation will result in a warrant being issued for your arrest and a suspension of your driver’s license.

If you have a civil traffic violation and fail to make an appearance on or before the court date on your citation, a civil sanction/fine may be assessed, and your case will be sent to the state’s collection program (FARE). This will result in the court issuing additional monetary penalties, and your driver’s license and/or registration may be suspended until you make payment in full on the civil sanction imposed.

Payment Methods

To make a payment on a past-due account that has been escalated to the F.A.R.E. (Fines/Fees and Restitution Enforcement) program, please visit the Arizona Courts Online Payment website.

Please note: If you are making a payment on a citation, you are admitting responsibility for the violation(s). The court will enter a judgment of “responsible,” and this will report the result to the Motor Vehicle Division, and if applicable, they will assess the appropriate points to your driving record.

Defensive Driving School

If eligible, you may attend an approved Arizona defensive driving course on location or online. Check the eligibility requirements and find a defensive driving class.

Upon completion of the defensive driving course, the ticketed moving violation will be properly dispositioned by the court. This means that you will not pay a sanction or appear in court, and no points will be assessed to your driving record.

Please be aware that if you choose to attend a defensive driving course, only one violation on your ticket can be dismissed. You must take care of all other violations with the court.

Request a Hearing

You can deny the offense(s) with a “not responsible” plea and request a hearing date. To request a hearing, please call us at 928-337-7558 for more information.

Small Claims Court

• Small claims lawsuits (amounts less than $5,000) may be filed for money debts, property damage, personal injury, or cancellation of a contract.
• Attorneys may not participate unless all parties agree.
• There is no right to a jury trial in a small claims case. The judge hears the parties and makes a determination.
• Neither party may appeal a decision in a small claims case.
• “Date of Service” refers to the date a party is served (receives and signs for paperwork) with case documents. Defendant is generally served by the plaintiff by certified mail.
• A complaint or answer may be served by a constable or private process server at the party’s own expense, and proof must be provided to the court that the other party has received the documents.
• Court staff may not provide legal interpretations, offer advice, do legal research, or complete forms.
• There is a $40.00 fee to file the complaint.
• The defendant has 20 calendar days from the date they are served (30 days if they are out of state) to file an answer. There is a $28.00 fee to file an answer. The defendant must also provide the plaintiff with a copy of the answer. If the defendant files a counterclaim, the defendant must serve the plaintiff with a copy of the counterclaim and provide the court with proof of service.

If the defendant files an answer, a hearing date will be scheduled, and both parties notified in writing. At the hearing, both the plaintiff and defendant have the opportunity to present their case. If the Defendant does not file an answer, the Plaintiff may file an Affidavit of Default with the court and serve the defendant with a copy. The defendant has 10 days to respond. If the defendant responds, a hearing will be set. If the defendant does not respond, the plaintiff may file a Motion for Entry of Default Judgment with or without Hearing and a Statement of Costs with the court. A judgment may be entered by the court; this does not require the plaintiff’s appearance at a hearing.

The defendant will be advised to contact the plaintiff directly regarding any settlement discussions. If an agreement is reached prior to the hearing date, the plaintiff should notify the court in writing a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal.

Protective Orders

The court offers three types of protective orders depending on the affiliation between the parties. You might qualify or be eligible for a Protection Order, an Injunction Against Harassment, or, in some circumstances, an Injunction Against Workplace Harassment.

Please refer to AZPOINT online for a protective order. There is no fee for filing a Protective Order. However, there is a service fee for serving an Injunction Against Harassment or Injunction Against Workplace Harassment. There is no service fee for Protection Orders.