Personal jurisdiction is the authority a court has to make legally enforceable orders related to a person or entity and the property of the person or entity, and usually arises when a person has been sued in a lawsuit. For a court to have personal jurisdiction, the person or entity generally (1) must be a resident of the state in which the court is located; (2) as a nonresident, must have initiated sufficient minimum contacts with the state in which the lawsuit is filed; or (3) must have agreed to be governed by the laws of the state (in a contract or website terms) in which the lawsuit is filed.

In Arizona, personal jurisdiction refers to the power of Arizona courts to bring an individual or entity into its legal process and to make decisions that are binding upon them. For an Arizona court to have personal jurisdiction, typically, the defendant must either be a resident of Arizona, have sufficient minimum contacts with Arizona (such as conducting business, committing a tortious act within the state, or owning property in the state), or have consented to the jurisdiction, possibly through a contractual agreement or terms of service that specify Arizona law will govern disputes. The concept of minimum contacts is derived from the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution and ensures that the exercise of jurisdiction is fair and reasonable. If a court lacks personal jurisdiction, any judgment or order it issues may be invalid. Arizona's rules on personal jurisdiction are codified in the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure and are interpreted in accordance with federal constitutional principles.