Judicial nominating commission submits 5 Arizona Supreme Court candidates to governor

PHOENIX – A judicial nominating commission submitted the names of five Arizona Supreme Court candidates to Gov. Katie Hobbs on Tuesday as she prepares to appoint her first justice.

Hobbs will weigh the merits of the three women and two men nominated before filling the vacancy created by the departure of Justice Robert Brutinel, who retired at the end of October after nearly 14 years on the state’s high court.

The Commission on Appellate Court Appointments picked the candidates after reviewing applications submitted by Nov. 1.

Arizona Supreme Court candidates have to be state residents for at least 10 years. The also must be admitted to practice law in the state, be younger than 65 when nominated and meet the commission’s standard of “good moral character.”

Who are the Arizona Supreme Court candidates?

The nominating commission narrowed the field down to two appeals court judges, two state government lawyers and a city prosecutor.

Maria Elena Cruz and Andrew M. Jacobs are both Arizona Court of Appeals judges for the Phoenix area.

Nicole C. Davis is deputy director, general counsel and chief governance officer at the Department of Economic Security.

Alexander W. Samuels works for the Arizona Attorney General’s Office as principal deputy solicitor general.

Regina L. Nassen is the city of Tucson’s principal assistant attorney.

How Hobbs’ pick will change makeup of state’s high court

Now that she has the nominees, Hobbs has 60 days to pick Brutinel’s successor and bring the Supreme Court back up to seven members.

Whomever she selects will be the first Arizona justice appointed by a Democratic governor since Janet Napolitano put Scott Bales on the high court in 2005.

The Arizona Supreme Court has consisted solely of Republican appointees since Bales retired in 2019.

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