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Governor Katie Hobbs to weigh 5 options for new Arizona Supreme Court Justice

By
Published  December 10, 2024 7:18pm MST
Arizona Politics
FOX 10 Phoenix

The Brief

    • A list of five potential new Arizona Supreme Court Justices was submitted Gov. Katie Hobbs.
    • Hobbs has 60 days to choose the new justice.
    • The position is open after the retirement of Justice Robert Brutinel.

PHOENIX - Five nominees have been submitted to Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs to replace outgoing State Supreme Court Justice Robert Brutinel.

The five recommendations were chosen by the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments. Of those five, two of those are judges with the Arizona Court of Appeals and three of them are attorneys in Arizona.

Hobbs now has 60 days to decide which judge will take the position. 

One of those nominees, Andrew M. Jacobs, was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals by Hobbs in 2023.

Here is a list of the five candidates:

  • Maria Elena Cruz - Arizona Court of Appeals Judge
  • Nicole C. Davis - General Counsel at Department of Economic Security
  • Andrew M. Jacobs - Arizona Court of Appeals Judge
  • Regina L. Nassen - Principal Assistant Attorney for City of Tucson
  • Alexander W. Samuels - Principal Deputy Solicitor General for the Arizona Attorney General's Office

Justicies typically serve six-year terms with Chief Justices selected to five-year terms.

If an appointment is not made by Hobbs within the 60 days, the decision will be passed on to the Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice.

READ MORE: Arizona Supreme Court justice Robert Brutinel to retire

Brutinel retired after 14 years on the State's Supreme Court after he was appointed by Gov. Jan Brewer. He was elected Vice Chief Justice in 2018 and in 2019, he became the court's Chief Justice until July 2024. 

Brutinel's retirement leaves the high court with six current justices:

  • Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer
  • Vice Chief Justice John R. Lopez IV
  • Justice Clint Bolick
  • Justice James P. Beene
  • Justice William G. Montgomery
  • Justice Kathryn H. King

The Source

  • Information for this story was gathered from a statement issued by the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments.

Arizona PoliticsArizonaNews