When searching for information about the Arizona Big Brothers Big Sisters lawsuit, it helps to identify who is speaking in each court document. A complaint, motion, or response presents a party’s claims or requests. A court order records a judicial decision on a matter. These documents have different roles.
Common filing types in this archive
Complaint
A complaint states a plaintiff’s claims and requested relief. It is one party’s pleading, not a judicial finding about whether those claims are true.
Open the archive’s A2 original-complaint guide or the A16 first-amended-complaint guide.
Motion
A motion asks the court to take a particular action. To understand the request and the other side’s position, read the motion, any response, and the court’s order if one was entered.
For example, the archive lists A110, a limited motion, followed by A111, a response and motion to strike, and A112, a response. Those entries are party filings.
Order
An order is a court document. The archive indexes A23 as an order denying a motion to dismiss. Consult the complete order to understand exactly what was decided; the label alone is not a substitute for reading it.
A careful way to read a docket entry
- Identify the document type and the person or party who filed it.
- Read the complete document, including any attached order or exhibits referenced in it.
- Separate a party’s description of events from any language in an order where the court states what it decided.
- Check for later orders or docket entries that may change the procedural status.
The archive is a convenience for locating individual documents. The official Maricopa County docket is the place to verify current status and the complete court record. The archive’s filing index links to available PDF copies.
Further reading
- Arizona case overview
- Latest archived lawsuit update
- Selected case timeline
- Court-records lookup guide