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Meet the Justices

Seven justices are appointed by the governor to serve on the Arizona Supreme Court. They may stand for retention to regular terms of six years. One justice is selected by fellow justices to serve as chief justice for a five-year term. In addition to handling case work, the chief justice oversees the administrative operations of all the state courts in Arizona.

 

Chief Justice Brutinel

Chief Justice Robert M. Brutinel

Justice Robert Brutinel became Chief Justice on July 1, 2019. He was appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court in November 2010 and was elected as Vice Chief Justice in January 2018. Prior to his appointment, Justice Brutinel served as the Presiding Judge of the Yavapai County Superior Court, where he presided over cases involving civil, criminal, juvenile, mental health, and domestic relations matters. Justice Brutinel has a B.S. in Economics from Arizona State University, a law degree from the University of Arizona, and an LL.M. in Judicial Studies from Duke University.

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Vice Chief Justice Timmer

Vice Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer

Vice Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona, her J. D. magna cum laude, from Arizona State University Law School (now the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law), and a Masters in Judicial Studies from Duke University Law School. Justice Timmer joined the Arizona Supreme Court in 2012 and was elected by her colleagues as Vice Chief Justice in 2019.  Prior to being appointed to the Supreme Court bench, Justice Timmer served on the Arizona Court of Appeals for 12 years, serving as its chief judge for three years.

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Justice Bolick

Justice Clint Bolick

Justice Clint Bolick was appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court in 2016 and in 2018 was retained by the voters for a six-year term. Prior to joining the Court, Justice Bolick litigated constitutional cases in state and federal courts from coast to coast, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Among other positions, he served as Vice President for Litigation at the Goldwater Institute and as Co-founder and Vice President for Litigation at the Institute for Justice. He has litigated in support of school choice, private property rights, freedom of speech, and federalism, and against racial classifications and government subsidies.

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Justice Lopez

Justice John R. Lopez IV

Justice John R. Lopez IV was appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court in 2017. Previously, he was Solicitor General for the State of Arizona in the Office of Attorney General where he handled civil lawsuits and appeals, as well as criminal appeals. He worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix for over 12 years serving in various roles, including Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of Financial Crimes and Public Integrity Section. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he worked as a civil litigator at a Phoenix law firm for several years. 

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Justice Beene

Justice James P. Beene

Justice James P. Beene was appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court in 2019. Prior to his appointment, Justice Beene spent two and a half years on the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, and seven years on the Arizona Superior Court for Maricopa County. He graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1988 and earned his J.D. from the University of Arizona in 1991.  Justice Beene began his legal career at the Pinal County Attorney's Office, and then worked as a trial attorney in the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.

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Justice Montgomery

Justice William G. Montgomery

Prior to Justice William G. Montgomery’s appointment to the Arizona Supreme Court in 2019, he served as the Maricopa County Attorney beginning with a special election in 2010. Before assuming elected office, Justice Montgomery served as a Deputy County Attorney, as well as practicing civil law with a local insurance defense firm and advocacy work on behalf of victims of crime.  Justice Montgomery earned a B.S. degree and received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1989. He received his law degree from Arizona State University in 2001. 

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Justice King

Justice Kathryn H. King

Kathryn H. King was appointed to serve on the Arizona Supreme Court in July 2021. Prior to her appointment, she practiced in the areas of labor and employment law and commercial litigation, first as an attorney at Snell & Wilmer and later at BurnsBarton.  She also worked as Deputy General Counsel in the Office of Governor Ducey, where she advised on various constitutional, statutory, and other legal requirements of the Governor’s Office. Justice King graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She then obtained her law degree from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law.

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Justices in court room

 

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