Summary
The Judicial branch is comprised of the Arizona Supreme Court, the Arizona Court of Appeals and the Superior Court augmented by the counties’ Justice of the Peace Courts and the municipalities’ Municipal Courts. Courts resolve legal disputes, manage trials and interpret the law.
- The courts of limited jurisdiction include Justice of the Peace courts and municipal courts. …
- There is only one court of general jurisdiction, the Superior Court. …
- The courts of appellate jurisdiction include the Court of Appeals and the Arizona Supreme Court.
OnAir Post: AZ Judicial Branch
About
Source: Government Website
Federal courts
Active Judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G. Murray Snow | George W. Bush (R) | July 23, 2008 | Brigham Young University, 1984 | Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School, 1987 |
| Jennifer Zipps | Barack Obama (D) | October 5, 2011 | University of Arizona, 1986 | Georgetown University Law Center, 1990 |
| Diane Humetewa | Barack Obama (D) | May 16, 2014 | Arizona State University, 1987 | Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 1993 |
| John Tuchi | Barack Obama (D) | May 16, 2014 | West Virginia University, 1987 | Arizona State University Law School, 1994 |
| Steven Logan | Barack Obama (D) | May 16, 2014 | University of Louisville, 1988 | University of Oklahoma College of Law, 1992 |
| Rosemary Marquez | Barack Obama (D) | May 19, 2014 | University of Arizona, 1990 | University of Arizona Law, 1993 |
| Douglas Rayes | Barack Obama (D) | May 28, 2014 | Arizona State University, 1975 | Arizona State University Law School, 1978 |
| James A. Soto | Barack Obama (D) | June 9, 2014 | Arizona State University, 1971 | Arizona State University Law School, 1975 |
| Dominic Lanza | Donald Trump (R) | September 10, 2018 | Dartmouth College, 1998 | Harvard Law School, 2002 |
| Susan Brnovich | Donald Trump (R) | October 23, 2018 | University of Wisconsin, 1990 | University of Wisconsin Law School, 1994 |
| Michael Liburdi | Donald Trump (R) | August 5, 2019 | Arizona State University, 1998 | Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 2002 |
| Scott Rash | Donald Trump (R) | May 27, 2020 | University of Arizona, 1985 | University of Arizona College of Law, 1991 |
| John Hinderaker | Donald Trump (R) | September 29, 2020 | University of California, Santa Barbara, 1991 | University of Arizona College of Law, 1996 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 7
- Republican appointed: 6
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
State supreme court
Founded in February 1912, the Arizona Supreme Court is the state’s court of last resort. The chief justice of the court is Robert Brutinel. Seven justices serve on the court. It has administrative supervision over all the other courts, and it hears appeals of decisions from the Court of Appeals, as well as appeals in special cases from the Superior Court. Special cases include those involving the death penalty and some involving elected officials or disputes between counties.
The following judges currently sit on the court:
| Judge | Appointed By |
|---|---|
| Robert Brutinel | Janice Kay Brewer (R) |
| Ann Timmer | Janice Kay Brewer (R) |
| Clint Bolick | Doug Ducey (R) |
| James P. Beene | Doug Ducey (R) |
| John Lopez IV | Doug Ducey (R) |
| Bill Montgomery | Doug Ducey (R) |
| Kathryn Hackett King | Doug Ducey (R) |
State court of appeals
The Arizona Court of Appeals, further divided into two divisions, is the intermediate court in the state. Division One, based in Phoenix, consists of 16 judges, and has jurisdiction in the western and northern regions of the state, along with the greater Phoenix area. Division Two is based in Tucson and has six judges. The court has jurisdiction over the southern regions of the state, including the Tucson area. Judges are selected in a method similar to the one used for the state Supreme Court justices.
The following judges currently sit on the court:
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
| Garye Vasquez | 2006 – Present | Janet Napolitano |
| Karl Eppich | 2017 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Maria Elena Cruz | April 12, 2017 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Jennifer B. Campbell | April 12, 2017 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Michael J. Brown | 2007 – Present | Janet Napolitano |
| Cynthia Bailey | April 24, 2020 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Brian Furuya | December 30, 2020 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| D. Steven Williams | November 1, 2019 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Peter Swann | September 23, 2008 – Present | Janet Napolitano |
| Randall M. Howe | 2012 – Present | Janice Kay Brewer |
| Lawrence Winthrop | 2002 – Present | Jane Dee Hull |
| James Morse | September 29, 2017 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Jennifer Perkins | September 29, 2017 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Paul McMurdie | October 17, 2016 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Samuel A. Thumma | 2012 – Present | Janice Kay Brewer |
| David Weinzweig | 2018 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| David Gass | 2019 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Kent Ernest Cattani | February 8, 2013 – Present | Janice Kay Brewer |
| Christopher P. Staring | October 20, 2015 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Peter Eckerstrom | 2003 – Present | Janet Napolitano |
| Sean Earl Brearcliffe | 2017 – Present | Doug Ducey |
| Philip Espinosa | 1992 – Present | John Fife Symington III |
Trial courts
Superior courts
Each county of Arizona has a superior court, which is a trial court of general jurisdiction. The size and organization of individual superior courts are varied and generally depend upon the size of the particular county. The superior courts also hear appeals from the Arizona Justice Courts.
Justice courts
The Arizona Justice Courts are trial courts of limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases in Arizona. Appeals of Justice Court rulings are heard by the Arizona Superior Court.
Municipal courts
The Arizona Municipal Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction over city and town ordinance violations in Arizona. These courts also share Jurisdiction with the Justice of the Peace Courts over violations of State law committed within the limits of the city or town.
Tribal courts
The Tribal Council of the Hopi Reservation in Arizona established the Hopi Tribal Courts in 1972. The Hopi Judiciary is divided into the Hopi Trial Court, with original jurisdiction over Hopi legal matters, and the Hopi Appellate Court, which hears appeals from the trial court.
