By Dillon Rosenblatt | Arizona Capitol Times
The next justice on the Arizona Supreme Court will come from a list of seven candidates that includes four Court of Appeals judges, a public defender, a lawyer in private practice and a controversial county attorney.
Unlike the selection process in March to fill a previously vacant seat on the court, Maricopa County Bill Montgomery had enough votes Friday from the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments to become a finalist. He is joined by three previous finalists Kent Cattani, Maria Elena Cruz and Andrew Jacobs. Richard Gordon, who Gov. Doug Ducey interviewed in the spring, narrowly missed the cut from nine to seven choices.
Also joining the interview list is Sean Brearcliffe, a judge on the Court of Appeals Division II; David Euchner, a Pima County public defender and Randall Howe, a judge on the Court of Appeals Division I. Jennifer Perkins was not selected to advance.
