(The Center Square) – Arizona Court of Appeals Judge Maria Elena Cruz is Gov. Katie Hobbs’ pick for the vacancy on the state Supreme Court.
Cruz will be replacing former Justice Robert Brutinel, who retired in October. She was selected out of five names provided to the governor by the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments, according to a news release.
The soon-to-be justice currently lives and works in Yuma County, and she’s hoping the court will continue efforts to resolve having a “legal desert” in parts of rural Arizona.
Cruz said she garnered “bipartisan support” because her “community [has] seen the work that [she’s] done,” noting frequent local scrutiny in a lesser populated community.
“I have approached my time in the law with a heart for service. I did not set out on a path to get to the Supreme Court that was never my goal,” she said.
Hobbs said in a statement that she was hopeful Cruz would represent the “working class” of the Grand Canyon State well.
“Her decades of work reflect not only her legal expertise but her deep understanding of the people she serves. Her presence on the Arizona Supreme Court reaffirms that the court belongs to the people of Arizona,” the governor stated.
Cruz was first appointed by former Republican Gov. Doug Ducey to the Court of Appeals in 2017, and she is the governor’s first pick for the court. Her appointment marks that first time a Latina and someone of African descent will be on the court.
