Arizona Supreme Court/Photo: Governor’s Office
Arizona Capitol Times reports Friday speculation is abound about who will replace retiring Justice Andrew Gould on the Arizona Supreme Court.
Most of the names circulating are judges in the Court of Appeals, pointing to Cynthia Bailey, Jennifer Campbell, David Weinzweig, James Morse Jr. and Jennifer Perkins as possibilities, along with Sean Brearcliffe and Maria Elena Cruz, who were finalists for the Supreme Court bench in 2019.
Court watchers also name Superior Court Judge Pamela Gates, Paul Avelar of the Institute for Justice Arizona, and House General Counsel Andrew Pappas as potential replacements for Gould.
Ducey has appointed all but two of the current justices. Chief Justice Robert Brutinel and Vice Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer are both Gov. Jan Brewer appointees.
Ducey appoints judges and justices after they’ve gone through the merit selection process where a commission vets applicants and sends a shortlist of top candidates to the governor for an interview, Capitol Times reports. The commission must send at least three names, but often sends five or more.
