ARIZONA NEWS

Gov. Hobbs appoints 7 judges to Maricopa County Superior Court

Apr 3, 2023, 10:27 AM

(Wikimedia Photo)...

(Wikimedia Photo)

PHOENIX – Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs named seven judges to Maricopa County Superior Court to fill vacancies created by retirements, a promotion and voter rejection.

The appointments of Michelle Carson, Marischa H. Gilla, Melody G. Harmon, Amy M. Kalman, Steven W. McCarthy, Colleen O’Donnell-Smith and Melissa M. Zabor were announced Friday.

“On top of their impressive legal experience and qualifications, each of these appointees has demonstrated a deep commitment to public service and to the rule of law,” Hobbs said in a press release.

“I am confident they will be excellent additions to the bench and will serve the state well,” she said.

Nearly all the judges serve as commissioners of the Maricopa County Superior Court.

Carson has served as a commissioner of Maricopa County Superior Court since 2018. She also worked as senior attorney for the Maricopa County Public Defender and was in private practice.

Gilla has served as a commissioner of Maricopa County Superior since 2020. She also worked in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office from 2006 to 2019, including as deputy in the Capital Litigation Bureau.

Harmon has served as a commissioner of Maricopa County Superior Court  since 2018. She also worked as a Maricopa County public defender and has experience in probate and juvenile departments.

Kalman has been a commissioner for the Maricopa County Superior Court since 2018 and oversees treatment courts, including mental health probation. Previously, she served in the county’s public defender office.

McCarthy has served as a Maricopa County Superior Court commissioner since 2019. He has experience overseeing DUI probation court and previously worked in the county public defender’s office for over 10 years.

O’Donnell-Smith has served in the Arizona Attorney General’s Office since 1999, where she had stints as unit chief counsel for the Protective Services Section.

Zabor has served as a commissioner of the Maricopa County Superior Court since 2017 and is assigned to the criminal division.

The appointees replace Judges Laura M. Reckart, Kathleen Mead and Janice Crawford, who retired; Daniel J. Kiley, who was named to Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals; and Rusty D. Crandell, Stephen M. Hopkins and Howard D. Sukenic, who were not retained by Maricopa County voters in the 2022 midterm election.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Follow @suelenrivera...

SuElen Rivera

Family-owned Taqueria Factory to open 2nd location in Chandler

A family-owned Mexican restaurant is set to expand in the Valley, with its second location opening in south Chandler later this month.

7 hours ago

Stock photo of a U.S. passport. An Arizona man was recently found guilty of lying about his partici...

KTAR.com

Arizona man who lied about Bosnian War role found guilty of immigration fraud

An Arizona man was recently found guilty of lying about his participation in the Bosnian War while trying to become a U.S. citizen, authorities said.

7 hours ago

A photo from the Drug Enforcement Agency showing pill seized in Tempe, Arizona. Steve Lugo Leon of ...

KTAR.com

Man sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison for trying to sell fentanyl at Arizona Mills

A Phoenix man was sentenced to 70 months in prison for trying to sell fentanyl at the Arizona Mills shopping center in Tempe.

1 day ago

This photo provided by Robert Wilkes, owner of a house boat management company, shows smoke rising ...

Associated Press

Houseboats catch fire while docked at Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell

More than half a dozen house boats momentarily caught fire at a popular boating destination on the Utah-Arizona line on Friday.

1 day ago

(Pexels photo)...

Alex Weiner

Arizona joins coalition backing EPA’s drinking water standards proposal

Arizona AG Kris Mayes joined a 17-state coalition calling on the EPA to finalize a drinking water standards proposal.

1 day ago

(Realtor.com Photo)...

Danny Shapiro

Former Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges sells Paradise Valley home for $6.68 million

It didn't take long for former Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges to sell his luxurious Paradise Valley home.

1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

How to identify the symptoms of 3 common anxiety disorders

Living with an anxiety disorder can be debilitating and cause significant stress for those who suffer from the condition.

(Photo: OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center)...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

Here’s what you need to know about OCD and where to find help

It's fair to say that most people know what obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders generally are, but there's a lot more information than meets the eye about a mental health diagnosis that affects about one in every 100 adults in the United States.

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...

Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.

Gov. Hobbs appoints 7 judges to Maricopa County Superior Court