Every county in Arizona has justice courts. Justice courts are the "limited jurisdiction courts" which handle misdemeanor crimes, protective orders, small claims up to $3,500, and civil lawsuits for amounts of $10,000 and below. Appeals from justice court go to the county superior court.
Justice courts are created based on population and geography under Article 6 of the Arizona State Constitution and Title 22 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. Maricopa County has 26 justice court precincts. They are named for a feature, location, or historical presence in that precinct.
Each justice precinct has a Justice of the Peace and a Constable, elected to four-year terms. The JP is the judge of the court for that precinct. The constable is a kind of law enforcement officer, charged with serving paperwork and carrying out the business of the court which does not take place within the physical courthouse.
Constables are a partner to the court but are not court employees. They are a separate county department and have their own web site, administration, and employees.