Mail-in voting has a little known advocate in Arizona — and for this group, it’s about giving voters time to finish the ballot. With nearly 80 judges up for retention, and as many as 40 in Maricopa County alone, the state commission tasked with evaluating all of them hopes their findings won’t be skipped or overlooked.
Read More »Long list of judges can tax a voter’s attention
Gov. Ducey sticks to spirit of merit selection, shuns partisanship
Misleading or factually inaccurate attacks on merit selection undermine the public’s confidence in the judiciary. Ducey’s appointments have been the least partisan and the most diverse of any governor, Democrat or Republican.
Read More »Blue county adopts merit selection, gives Ducey final say on judges 
This election cycle, Coconino County became the first Arizona county to voluntarily switch to a merit selection system for choosing judges.
Read More »Education advocates push for removal of 2 Supreme Court justices
Upset with a ruling that knocked a tax hike for education off the ballot, some education advocates are trying to get voters to turn one or two Supreme Court justices out of office in November.
Read More »Judge with bad rating quits rather than facing a vote 
A Pima County Superior Court judge who received a failing grade from the commission that rates judges has decided to quit before voters could say whether he should stay on the bench.
Read More »In rare outcome, Maricopa County voters fire judge
Voters in Maricopa County are on their way to firing the first judge in decades and only the third one since the inception of the merit and retention system.
Read More »Project aims to improve courts by making them resemble the community 
During the four decades of merit selection for judges in Arizona’s most populous counties, the number of women and minorities serving in judicial positions has increased gradually. The Arizona Judicial Diversity Project was launched in February to maintain this upward trajectory of increasing diversity, which former Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Ruth McGregor says results in a better-functioning judiciary.
Read More »Lack of lawyers raises questions about Pinal judicial commission’s authority 
A newly formed commission for choosing judicial nominees in Pinal County doesn’t meet state constitutional requirements that set the composition of the panel, legal experts say.
Read More »Retiring Pinal County judge is termed unfit to remain on bench 
The Commission on Judicial Performance Review found itself in a quandary June 27 when it came time to vote on the qualifications of Pinal County Superior Court Judge Janna Vanderpool.
Read More »Year in Review: High court puts spotlight on AZ in 2011
Robes and gavels were a large part of Arizona’s political scene in 2011. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a landmark election law case that came out of the state and agreed to hear SB1070. The state Supreme Court resolved conflicts involving the Independent Redistricting Commission and trial courts were busy with lawsuits contesting cuts to Medicaid and the candidacy of a Mesa woman in the recall election of former Senate President Russell Pearce.
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