Commission Presents Hobbs with Five Choices for New Arizona Supreme Court Justice

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is set to appoint the state’s next Supreme Court justice from a list of five nominees recommended by a judicial screening panel. Among the candidates are two judges and three attorneys, showcasing a diverse pool of legal expertise.

This appointment comes after the retirement of Republican Justice Robert Brutinel, who stepped down at the end of October. Brutinel served 14 years on the Supreme Court and had a total of 28 years in the judiciary.

With this appointment, Hobbs will break a 15-year stretch without a Democrat selecting a justice for Arizona’s Supreme Court. The last Democratic appointee was Justice Scott Bales, who took his seat in 2005 under former Governor Janet Napolitano, with Brutinel later filling the position in 2010 following his appointment by Republican Governor Jan Brewer.

On Monday, the nonpartisan Commission on Appellate Court Appointments conducted interviews with eight semifinalists out of a total of 17 applicants and ultimately sent five recommendations to the governor. Arizona law stipulates that the commission must propose at least three candidates, ensuring a balanced representation of political affiliations.

The recommended nominees comprise three Democrats and two independents, highlighting their varied backgrounds:

• Maria Elena Cruz: A Democrat from Yuma County, Cruz has served as a judge since 2005 and has been on the Arizona Court of Appeals since 2017. She previously worked as a Yuma County Superior Court Judge and held roles in the Yuma and Pima County attorney offices.
• Nicole Davis: An independent from Maricopa County, Davis is the deputy director and general counsel for the Arizona Department of Economic Security, having also served as deputy general counsel for former Governor Janet Napolitano.
• Andrew Jacobs: A Democrat from Maricopa County, Jacobs was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals in March 2023, after two decades as a partner at the law firm Snell and Wilmer.
• Regina Nassen: An independent from Pima County, Nassen is the principal assistant city attorney for Tucson and has held various roles within the Pima County Attorney’s Office.
• Alexander Samuels: A Democrat from Maricopa County, Samuels serves as deputy solicitor general for the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and has prior experience with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Governor Hobbs has a 60-day window to select the new justice. A spokesperson for Hobbs indicated that no specific timeline has been established for candidate interviews or the final appointment, other than it will occur within the allocated period.