20 days from in-state service under JCRCP Rule 114(a) (Justice Court) or Ariz. R. Civ. P. 12(a) (Superior Court). 30 days if served out-of-state under JCRCP Rule 114(b). Three court tiers: Small Claims sub-track (≤$5,000) requires appearance at the hearing rather than a written Answer; Justice Court Civil Justice ($5,000.01–$10,000) and Superior Court (>$10,000) require a written Answer.
Statute of limitations
6 years in Arizona
Arizona’s statute of limitations on debt is 6 years, codified at A.R.S. § 12-548. The clock typically runs from: first uncured missed payment date (mertola, llc v. santos, 244 ariz. 488 (2018)).
If the time-bar has run, the debt may not be legally collectible in court — but you generally have to raise the defense yourself. It is not raised automatically.
Your rights
What Arizona law gives you
Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (no AZ state private-right analog; Collection Agency Act is criminal-only) (15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.) gives you state-level protections beyond federal debt-collection law.
Arizona does NOT have a facial-pleading rule analogous to NJ R. 6:3-2(c) or Indiana's Debt Buyer Pleading Act. Chain-of-title attacks proceed through evidence-foundation challenges under Ariz. R. Evid. 803(6) (business records exception) and 902(11) (self-authentication of certified business records) plus general standing doctrine — they work, but require evidentiary discipline at trial / via discovery, not catching the complaint on its face. REVIVAL — A.R.S. § 12-508: post-expiration revival requires a WRITTEN, SIGNED acknowledgment. Partial payment alone does NOT revive a time-barred AZ debt — STRONGER protection than NJ. CHOICE-OF-LAW: if the cardholder agreement selects another state's law, that clause may shorten the applicable SOL — review the agreement or original complaint exhibits.
Arizona enforces consumer arbitration clauses under the Arizona Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (A.R.S. §§ 12-3001 to 12-3029, effective January 1, 2011 for new contracts) and the Federal Arbitration Act. AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion (2011) confirms FAA preemption of state-law defenses disfavoring arbitration. File the Motion to Compel Arbitration with or before your Answer to avoid waiver.
Cases in Arizona are heard in Justice Court / Superior Court of Arizona.
The one thing most people miss
Key fact
Arizona's 6-year statute of limitations on credit-card debt (A.R.S. § 12-548(A)(2), as amended in 2011 to expressly include credit cards) accrues at the FIRST UNCURED MISSED PAYMENT under Mertola, LLC v. Santos, 244 Ariz. 488 (2018) — NOT at charge-off. This is the headline AZ defense-favorable rule. Pleadings that frame accrual at charge-off are wrong on the law.
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