HB 2859 Summary

• Increases Court of Appeals judges from 22 to 28 total: Division 1 from 16 to 19 judges and Division 2 from 6 to 9 judges, with new at-large judge positions added to each division.

• Establishes the Arizona Trial and Digital Evidence Fund (removing "lengthy" from the name) consisting of additional filing fees and legislative appropriations to pay juror earnings replacement (minimum $40, maximum $300 per day) and manage digital evidence in trials.

• Changes juror eligibility for earnings replacement from jury service lasting more than five days to service in the superior court, and allows unemployed jurors to receive $40 per day regardless of other income sources.

• Modifies justice of the peace compensation splits in counties with population under 1.5 million to 40% state and 60% county (changed from 19.25% state and 80.75% county).

• Allows the Arizona Supreme Court to use up to $2.6 million from four funds (including the Trial and Digital Evidence Fund) through fiscal year 2022-2023 to design and upgrade an appellate case management system.

• Requires the Administrative Office of the Courts to evaluate case distribution between Court of Appeals divisions and report findings by January 1, 2025.