Feb 1, 2025 Story by: Editor
PHOENIX (AP) — Governor Katie Hobbs has appointed Maria Elena Cruz to the Arizona Supreme Court, making history as the first Latina and Black justice to serve on the state’s highest court. Cruz, an appellate judge from rural Yuma County, was selected on Wednesday.
Hobbs’ decision marks the first time a Democratic governor has appointed a justice to the Arizona Supreme Court since 2005. Her selection also enhances the court’s racial, geographic, and political diversity, which remains predominantly Republican.
“I prioritized an appointee who is not only eminently qualified but also someone who reflects our state and who is committed to making our legal system work for everyday people,” Hobbs stated at a news conference. “Of course, I was focused on credentials and experience but also on appointing a justice who will uplift those who need it most.”
Since its establishment in 1912, the Arizona Supreme Court has never had a Black justice among its 49 past and present members. Before Cruz, only one Latino—Supreme Court Vice Chief Justice John Lopez—had served on the bench. At 52, Cruz will become the second Hispanic justice and the first of African descent.
Before Hobbs’ appointment, all six other justices had been appointed by former Republican governors Doug Ducey and Jan Brewer. They all reside in Maricopa County, the state’s most populous region, which includes Phoenix.
Cruz emphasized the importance of representation in the judiciary, stating that a court lacking diversity does not “engender trust.”
“As a new justice, I promise to bring not only my 20 years of judicial experience, including service on the Cocopah Tribal Court, the Superior Court, and the Court of Appeals, and a deep respect and loyalty for the rule of law, but also a perspective that is informed by growing up, living, raising a family, and working in rural Arizona,” she said.
The vacancy arose following the Oct. 31 retirement of Justice Robert Brutinel, giving Hobbs a rare chance to make her own selection. In recent years, the court has ruled on significant issues such as abortion and elections, with some decisions sparking accusations of political bias.
Arizona law mandates that the governor select justices from a shortlist provided by the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments. On Dec. 9, the 16-member commission interviewed eight candidates before forwarding five names to Hobbs, who had 60 days to decide.
Cruz was born in New York to a Puerto Rican father and a Dominican mother. At 14, she moved with her family to Yuma County, a region in southwestern Arizona bordering California and Mexico.
Her career path took a turn after a life-changing car accident. While working as an elementary school teacher and attending Arizona Western College, she sought legal representation and had an eye-opening experience.
“Here is someone who is doing something really meaningful, someone who affects people’s lives with the work that he does,” she once recalled in an interview. Inspired, she asked about becoming a lawyer and, upon learning about law school and the bar exam, she made a life-altering decision.
That same day, she informed her employer that she was leaving to pursue a legal career.
Cruz earned a psychology degree from the University of Arizona in 1998 and a law degree from the same institution in 2001. She worked as a law clerk for the Pima County Attorney’s Office, later becoming a prosecutor for Yuma County and a private criminal defense attorney.
In 2005, she began serving as a judge pro tem for the Cocopah Indian Tribe. Between 2009 and 2017, she was a judge on the Yuma County Superior Court. Since 2017, Cruz has served on the Arizona Court of Appeals, having been appointed by then-Governor Ducey. Notably, she was his first Democratic appointee to a state appellate court.
During Wednesday’s announcement, Cruz’s family stood by her side. Her husband, Glen Avino, noted that they learned about her appointment at the last moment. Her father traveled from Mexico City overnight, and her in-laws drove from Las Vegas to attend the event.
Cruz’s 24-year-old son, Diego Avino, expressed his admiration, saying he is proud of his mother—not just for reaching the state’s highest court, but for her “near-insane work ethic” that led to this achievement.
“It’s something just coming from a small town, going to Phoenix, and rising up to this spot,” he said. “It takes some real dedication.”
Officials confirmed that Cruz will be sworn in on Monday. Source: AP News
