Applications now accepted for pending Arizona Supreme Court vacancy

PHOENIX – A Democratic governor hasn’t appointed an Arizona Supreme Court justice since 2005. That’s about the change.

The Commission on Appellate Court Appointments announced Tuesday it was accepting applications to fill the vacancy created by Justice Robert Brutinel’s pending retirement. Brutinel submitted his retirement letter to Gov. Katie Hobbs last week.

Candidates must be residents of Arizona for at least 10 years and admitted to practice law in the state. They also have to be younger than 65 when the nomination is sent to the governor and meet the appointment commission’s standard of “good moral character.”

Application forms can be downloaded from the state court system website. They must be submitted by Nov. 1.

The commission will review all the applications and nominate three candidates.

Hobbs, Arizona’s first Democratic governor since Janet Napolitano left office in 2009, will then have 60 days to make her first Supreme Court selection.

Who was last Arizona Supreme Court justice appointed by a Democrat?

Napolitano appointed two justices during her tenure, Andrew Hurwitz in 2023 and Scott Bales in 2005. Hurwitz served until 2012 and Bales stayed on until 2019.

Oct. 31 is Brutinel’s last day after 14 years on the state’s highest court. He was appointed by then-Gov. Jan Brewer in 2010 and was chief justice from 2009 until earlier this year.

Every justice currently on the seven-member Arizona Supreme Court was appointed by Republicans Brewer or Doug Ducey.

Two justices, Clint Bolick and Katherine King, are up for retention votes this year. If a campaign to oust them succeeds, it would give Hobbs two more picks, allowing her to drastically reshape the state’s high court.

Arizona justices make $205,000 per year but are getting a raise to $215,000 effective Jan. 1.

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