Arizona courts are preparing for a potential surge of eviction filings later this month. The Arizona Supreme Court this week issued a new administrative order with guidance for eviction cases amid the pandemic.

Gov. Doug Ducey in March placed a 120-day moratorium on evictions. That’s set to expire after July 22. 

Arizona landlords have been allowed to file evictions in some cases during the pandemic, but filings are down compared to last year. The new order indicates the state’s courts are expecting a potentially “high volume” of new filings when the moratorium ends in two weeks.

The order instructs courts not to schedule more than 25 hearings in an hour and asks judges to liberally grant continuances for people impacted by COVID-19. 

Housing advocates and some state lawmakers are calling on the governor to extend the moratorium as the virus continues to surge in Arizona. Ducey has not indicated he intends to do that.

→ Few Have Been Helped By Arizona COVID-19 Eviction Prevention Program