Arizona Court of Appeals

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Arizona Court of Appeals
200pxIACBadgeforVNT.png
Court information
Judges:   22
Judicial selection
Method:   Commission-selection, political appointment
Term:   6 years
Active judges

Patricia Norris  •  Donn Kessler  •  Joseph W. Howard  •  Philip Espinosa  •  Peter Eckerstrom  •  Lawrence Winthrop  •  Margaret Downie  •  Patricia Orozco  •  Garye Vasquez  •  Philip Hall  •  Jon Thompson  •  Diane Johnsen  •  John Gemmill  •  Peter Swann  •  Maurice Portley  •  Virginia C. Kelly  •  Samuel A. Thumma  •  Michael O. Miller  •  Andrew W. Gould  •  Michael J. Brown  •  Randall M. Howe  •  Kent Cattani  •  

The Arizona Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court for the State of Arizona. It is divided into two divisions, with a total of twenty-two judges on the court: sixteen in Division One, based in Phoenix, and six in Division Two, based in Tucson.

The court decides the cases that come before it in panels of three judges. These panels are called departments. Each of the three-judge departments has a presiding judge who is elected by the three judges of that department.

When litigants disagree with a decision of this court, they can file an appeal with the Arizona Supreme Court.

Judges

JudgeTermDivisionAppointed byParty
Judge Patricia Norris2003-2018Division OneGov. Janet Napolitano
Judge Donn Kessler2003-2018Division OneGov. Janet Napolitano
Judge Joseph W. Howard1997-2012Division Two
Judge Philip Espinosa1992-2018Division Two
Judge Peter Eckerstrom1997-2018Division TwoGov. Janet Napolitano
Judge Lawrence Winthrop2002-2016Division One
Judge Margaret Downie2008-2018Division OneGov. Janet Napolitano
Judge Patricia Orozco2004-2014Division OneGov. Janet Napolitano
Judge Garye Vasquez2005-2014Division TwoGov. Janet Napolitano
Judge Philip Hall2001-2013Division OneGov. Jane Dee Hull
Judge Jon Thompson1997-2016Division OneGov. Fife Symington
Judge Diane Johnsen2006-2014Division OneGov. Janet Napolitano
Judge John Gemmill2001-2016Division OneGov. Jane Dee Hull
Judge Peter Swann2008-2018Division OneGov. Janet Napolitano
Judge Maurice Portley2003-2018Division One
Judge Virginia C. Kelly2009-2018Division TwoGov. Jan Brewer
Judge Samuel A. Thumma2012-2014Division OneGov. Jan Brewer
Judge Michael O. Miller12/2012-2018Division TwoGov. Jan Brewer
Judge Andrew W. Gould2011-2014Division OneGov. Jan Brewer
Judge Michael J. Brown2007-2016Division OneGov. Janet Napolitano
Judge Randall M. Howe2012-2014Division OneGov. Jan Brewer
Judge Kent Cattani2/8/2013-PresentDivision OneGov. Jan Brewer

Selection of judges

Judges are selected by the commission/appointment method. The Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments interviews applicants and sends a list of nominees to the governor. The governor is required by law to appoint from this list based on merit, without regard to party affiliation. Judges are then retained for an initial period, after which they are subject to a retention election. If the judge wins the election, his/her term is six years.[1]

Seal of the Arizona Court of Appeals

Jurisdiction

The Court of Appeals has jurisdiction to consider appeals in civil cases from the Arizona Superior Court. The court also reviews juvenile and domestic relations matters from the superior court, workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits decisions, Arizona Tax Court decisions, and certain corporation commission decisions.

The court also has jurisdiction over appeals in criminal matters from superior court, except for cases in which a death sentence has been imposed. Death penalty cases go directly to the Arizona Supreme Court.

The court may also decide "petitions for special action," which is Arizona’s term for petitions for special writs, such as certiorari, mandamus and prohibition.

Deciding cases

The Court of Appeals decides cases in panels of three judges, called "departments". Each department chooses a presiding judge from among the three. Division One also has a Chief Judge and Vice Chief Judge, elected by all judges in the division.

Case load

Division One received 2,676 appeals and special actions in Fiscal Year 2006. In that year, it resolved 2,738 appeals, special actions, and other appellate matters.[1]

Notable cases

Arizona Court of Appeals rules marijuana users able to get DUI even if not impaired


Court orders sheriff to return confiscated marijuana


References

Portions of this article have been taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Copyright Notice here.

2012

To organize the columns, click on the arrows in the column heading.
JudgeIncumbencyRetention voteRetention Vote %
KesslerDonn Kessler   ApprovedAYes477,97466.68%ApprovedA
HowardJoseph W. Howard   ApprovedAYes121,06476.59%ApprovedA
DownieMargaret Downie   ApprovedAYes512,26070.06%ApprovedA
PortleyMaurice Portley   ApprovedAYes452,94363.13%ApprovedA
NorrisPatricia Norris   ApprovedAYes507,55769.63%ApprovedA
EckerstromPeter Eckerstrom   ApprovedAYes188,49572.78%ApprovedA
SwannPeter Swann   ApprovedAYes463,78764.67%ApprovedA
EspinosaPhilip Espinosa   ApprovedAYes194,65375.64%ApprovedA
KellyVirginia C. Kelly   ApprovedAYes199,86577.51%ApprovedA

External links

ArizonaArizona Supreme CourtArizona Court of AppealsArizona Superior CourtArizona Justice CourtsArizona Municipal CourtsUnited States District Court for the District of ArizonaUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitArizona countiesArizona judicial newsArizona judicial electionsJudicial selection in ArizonaArizonaTemplatewithoutBankruptcy.jpg


Auction 48x48.png This State Intermediate Appellate Court article needs to be updated

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