8 Arizona Supreme Court Candidates Move Forward to Rigorous Screening Interviews

A panel tasked with screening judicial candidates has narrowed down the field for a vacant Arizona Supreme Court seat to eight semi-finalists. This decision was made public on Friday.

Governor Katie Hobbs will select the new justice, who will replace Republican Robert Brutinel. Brutinel, who retired at the end of October, served for 14 years on the Supreme Court and spent a total of 28 years on the bench.

This appointment marks a significant shift, as Hobbs will be the first Democrat in over 15 years to fill a position on the state’s highest court. Brutinel was appointed by Republican Governor Jan Brewer in 2010. The last Democrat to be appointed was Justice Scott Bales, nominated in 2005 by then-Governor Janet Napolitano, who later retired in 2019.

The nonpartisan Commission on Appellate Court Appointments selected the eight semi-finalists from a pool of 17 candidates and is currently soliciting public feedback about them. Public comments are being accepted before the interviews scheduled for December 9. Following the interviews, the commission will recommend at least three candidates for Hobbs to choose from.

According to the commission’s guidelines, at least one nominee must belong to a political party different from Hobbs’. The eight candidates are as follows:

• Maria Elena Cruz: A Democrat from Yuma County, serving on the Arizona Court of Appeals since 2005. She has previously held positions with Yuma County Superior Court and within county attorney offices.
• Nicole C. Davis: An independent from Maricopa County, Davis is the deputy director and general counsel for the Arizona Department of Economic Security. She previously worked under Gov. Napolitano.
• D. Andrew Gaona: A Democrat from Maricopa County, Gaona is a partner at the Phoenix law firm Coppersmith Brockelman and has represented several high-profile Democratic figures.
• Andrew M. Jacobs: Appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals in March 2023, Jacobs is another Democrat and former partner at a prominent Arizona law firm.
• Doreen N. McPaul: Also a Democrat from Maricopa County, McPaul serves as the assistant legislative attorney for the Tohono O’odham Nation and is a member of the Navajo Nation.
• Regina L. Nassen: An independent from Pima County, Nassen works as an assistant city attorney for Tucson, with prior roles in the Pima County Attorney’s Office.
• Alexander W. Samuels: A Democrat and deputy solicitor general for the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Samuels has an extensive background with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
• Amy D. Sells: A civil litigation and appeals attorney in Maricopa County, Sells has been involved with several law firms across the Valley since 2005.

Members of the public can provide written comments regarding these candidates by emailing jnc@courts.az.gov or mailing them to 1501 W. Washington, Suite 221, Phoenix, AZ 85007. Comments must be submitted by December 4, are required to include the name of the sender, and can also be shared in person during the hearing on December 9, which will commence at 8:30 a.m. at the Arizona State Courts Building in Phoenix.