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Arizona Commission on Judicial Performance Review
Use the following summary and report by the Commission on Judicial Performance Review (JPR) to Finish the Ballot! The JPR Commission was established by voters to evaluate judges' performance during retention elections. While judges initially are appointed, this report can help you decide whether these judges meet judicial performance standards and should be retained. Which judges appear on your ballot depends on your county and the court on which the judge serves. By using this report to finish your ballot, you will help ensure Arizona's strong and impartial judiciary!
In 1974, Arizona voters decided that for Arizona's Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals, and Superior Courts in counties with populations over 250,000 (currently Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal) judges would be appointed by the Governor from a list of qualified candidates. The Arizona Constitution directs commissions to nominate candidates based primarily on their merit, with consideration given to the diversity of Arizona's population. Arizona voters then periodically vote whether to retain these judges as their terms expire. This system is known as Merit Selection and Retention.
Created by a constitutional amendment, the 30-member JPR Commission conducts standards-based performance evaluations of judges. Most of the JPR Commissioners are public members, not lawyers or judges. JPR reports its results to the public. This report provides JPR Commission findings, survey results, and states whether each judge in a retention election "meets" or "fails to meet" judicial performance standards.
The JPR Commission evaluates each judge up for retention election to assess whether the judge:
· Administers justice fairly, ethically, uniformly, promptly and efficiently;
· Is free from personal bias when making decisions and decides cases based on the proper application of law;
· Issues prompt rulings that can be understood and makes decisions that demonstrate competent legal analysis;
· Acts with dignity, courtesy and patience; and
· Effectively manages his or her courtroom and the administrative responsibilities of the office.
This year, as every election year, the JPR Commission sought public input from citizens who have had direct experience with judges and made its decisions using that input. In 2011, 67,000 surveys on judges were distributed to attorneys, jurors, litigants and witnesses. The JPR Commission held public hearings open to anyone wishing to speak about the judges up for retention this year. The JPR Commission accepts signed, written comments about merit-appointed judges at any time.
Every voter can take an active role in this judicial review process. Use this JPR summary and report to guide your votes for judges up for retention. After reviewing a judge's information, mark "Yes" or "No" next to the judge's name on the Judges Checklist tear-off back cover of this pamphlet. Refer to your checklist to Finish Your Ballot!
Visit www.AZJudges.info for more information.
Contact the Commission on Judicial Performance Review: (602) 452-3311
or email [email protected]
ARIZONA SUPREME COURT, COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION ONE AND
COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION TWO
RESULTS OF THE COMMISSION'S VOTE ON THE APPELLATE COURT JUSTICES AND JUDGES
THE FOLLOWING JUDGES DO NOT MEET JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:
NONE
THE FOLLOWING JUDGES MEET JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:
ARIZONA SUPREME COURT:
A. John Pelander, III
COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION ONE:
Margaret H. Downie
Donn G. Kessler
Patricia K. Norris
Maurice Portley
Peter B. Swann
COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION TWO:
Peter J. Eckerstrom
Philip G. Espinosa
Virginia C. Kelly
Joseph W. Howard
Justice
Appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court: 2009
30 Commissioners Voted "Meets"
0 Commissioners Voted "Does Not Meet"
Judicial Performance Standards Evaluation Categories
Surveys Distributed: 333
Surveys Returned: 97
Surveys Distributed: 12
Surveys Returned: 4
Legal Ability
Integrity
Communication Skills
Judicial Temperament
Administrative Performance
Administrative Skills
92%
99%
100%
N/A
Appointed to Court of Appeals Division I: 2008
Surveys Distributed: 837
Surveys Returned: 184
Surveys Distributed: 182
Surveys Returned: 81
94%
97%
98%
96%
Appointed to Court of Appeals Division I: 2003
Surveys Distributed: 1,392
Surveys Returned: 187
Surveys Distributed: 345
Surveys Returned: 90
91%
95%
29 Commissioners Voted "Meets"
Surveys Distributed: 1,305
Surveys Returned: 197
Surveys Distributed: 322
Surveys Returned: 72
1 Commissioner Voted "Does Not Meet"
Surveys Distributed: 1,416
Surveys Returned: 192
Surveys Distributed: 340
Surveys Returned: 74
88%
Surveys Distributed: 913
Surveys Returned: 238
Surveys Distributed: 186
Surveys Returned: 79
85%
93%
Appointed to Court of Appeals Division II: 2003
Surveys Distributed: 967
Surveys Returned: 218
Surveys Returned: 93
76%
Appointed to Court of Appeals Division II: 1992
Surveys Distributed: 1,006
Surveys Returned: 215
Surveys Distributed: 328
Surveys Returned: 103
86%
Appointed to Court of Appeals Division II: 2009
28 Commissioners Voted "Meets"
2 Commissioners Voted "Does Not Meet"
Surveys Distributed: 352
Surveys Returned: 153
Surveys Distributed: 122
Surveys Returned:101
Appointed to Court of Appeals Division II: 1997
Surveys Distributed: 1,142
Surveys Distributed: 390
Surveys Returned: 156
90%
PINAL COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT - PINAL COUNTY VOTERS ONLY
RESULTS OF THE COMMISSION'S VOTE ON THE PINAL COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES
J. Rudy Georgini
Boyd T. Johnson
Stephen F. McCarville
Robert Carter Olson
Assignment During Survey Period: Civil/Criminal
Elected to Pinal County Superior Court: 2006
Surveys Distributed: 87
Surveys Returned: 28
Surveys Distributed: 77
Surveys Returned: 26
Surveys Distributed: 43
Surveys Returned: 11
Settlement Activities
Assignment During Survey Period: Civil/Criminal Presiding
Elected to Pinal County Superior Court: 1996
Surveys Distributed: 11
Surveys Returned: 5
Surveys Distributed: 75
Surveys Distributed: 40
Surveys Returned: 3
Surveys Distributed: 58
Surveys Returned: 35
89%
Assignment During Survey Period: Family Presiding
Elected to Pinal County Superior Court: 2001
Surveys Distributed: 4
Surveys Returned: 2
Surveys Distributed: 72
Surveys Returned: 25
Surveys Distributed: 291
Surveys Returned: 29
Surveys Distributed: 0
Surveys Returned: 0
Assignment During Survey Period: Pinal County Presiding Judge
Elected to Pinal County Superior Court: 2007
Surveys Distributed: 42
Surveys Returned: 16
Surveys Distributed: 207
Surveys Returned: 60
Surveys Distributed: 51
Surveys Returned: 13
PIMA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT - PIMA COUNTY VOTERS ONLY
RESULTS OF THE COMMISSION'S VOTE ON THE PIMA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES
Karen S. Adam
Gus Aragon, Jr.
Deborah Bernini
Kyle A. Bryson
Carmine Cornelio
Jane L. Eikleberry
Richard S. Fields
Richard Gordon
Howard Hantman
Jan E. Kearney
Kenneth Lee
Leslie B. Miller
Michael Miller
Scott H. Rash
Sarah R. Simmons
Christopher P. Staring
Paul E. Tang
Stephen C. Villarreal
PIMA COUNTY JUDGE REVIEWS
Assignment During Survey Period: Juvenile Presiding
Appointed to Pima County Superior Court: 2010
Surveys Distributed: 14
Surveys Returned: 6
Surveys Distributed: 107
Surveys Returned: 24
Surveys Distributed: 134
Surveys Returned: 36
87%
Assignment During Survey Period: Juvenile
Appointed to Pima County Superior Court: 2006
Surveys Distributed: 126
Surveys Returned: 19
Surveys Distributed: 128
Surveys Returned: 17
Assignment During Survey Period: Criminal
Appointed to Pima County Superior Court: 1997
Surveys Distributed: 229
Surveys Returned: 84
Surveys Distributed: 184
Surveys Distributed:100
Surveys Returned: 30
Assignment During Survey Period: Civil
Surveys Distributed: 180
Surveys Returned: 54
Surveys Distributed: 74
Surveys Returned: 9
Surveys Distributed: 20
Surveys Returned: 7
Assignment During Survey Period: Family
Appointed to Pima County Superior Court: 2002
1 Commissioner Voted "Not Voting"
Surveys Distributed: 142
Surveys Returned: 67
Surveys Distributed: 162
Surveys Returned: 27
78%
83%
75%
Appointed to Pima County Superior Court: 2001
Surveys Distributed: 194
Surveys Returned: 64
Surveys Returned: 41
Surveys Distributed: 80
Surveys Returned: 50
Assignment During Survey Period: Criminal Presiding
Surveys Distributed: 116
Surveys Distributed: 130
Surveys Distributed: 68
Assignment During Survey Period: Civil Presiding
Appointed to Pima County Superior Court: 2009
Surveys Distributed: 9
Surveys Distributed: 253
Surveys Returned:102
Surveys Distributed: 71
Surveys Returned: 15
Appointed to Pima County Superior Court: 1994
Surveys Distributed: 139
Surveys Returned: 57
Surveys Distributed: 297
Surveys Returned: 33
82%
68%
70%
79%
Surveys Distributed: 183
Surveys Returned: 46
Surveys Distributed: 92
Surveys Returned: 20
Surveys Distributed: 41
Surveys Distributed: 54
Surveys Returned: 32
Surveys Distributed: 156
Surveys Distributed: 26
Surveys Distributed: 39
Appointed to Pima County Superior Court: 1985
23 Commissioners Voted "Meets"
7 Commissioners Voted "Does Not Meet"
Surveys Distributed: 81
Surveys Returned: 23
84%
80%
64%
60%
Surveys Distributed: 213
Surveys Returned: 59
Surveys Distributed: 123
Surveys Returned: 39
Surveys Distributed:124
Surveys Distributed: 190
Surveys Returned: 75
Surveys Distributed: 33
Surveys Distributed: 8
N/A N/A
Assignment During Survey Period: Pima County Presiding Judge
Surveys Distributed: 94
Surveys Returned: 47
Surveys Distributed: 29
Surveys Distributed: 36
Surveys Distributed: 90
Surveys Distributed: 211
Surveys Returned: 44
Surveys Distributed:169
Surveys Returned: 49
Surveys Distributed: 45
Surveys Returned: 12
Appointed to Pima County Superior Court: 1998
Surveys Distributed: 206
Surveys Distributed: 56
RESULTS OF THE COMMISSION'S VOTE ON THE
MARICOPA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES
Helene F. Abrams
Eddward P. Ballinger, Jr.
James P. Beene
A. Craig Blakey, II
Susan M. Brnovich
John A. Buttrick
Bruce R. Cohen
Connie Contes
Christopher A. Coury
Glenn Davis
John R. Ditsworth
Lisa Flores
Jeanne M. Garcia
David B. Gass
Pamela Gates
Jo Lynn Gentry-Lewis
Douglas Gerlach
Michael D. Gordon
John R. Hannah, Jr.
Cari A. Harrison
Kristin Hoffman
Michael Kemp
Daniel J. Kiley
Andrew G. Klein
Thomas L. LeClaire
Margaret R. Mahoney
Crane McClennen
M. Scott McCoy
Paul J. McMurdie
Colleen A. McNally
Michael R. McVey
Linda H. Miles
Robert E. Miles
Robert H. Oberbillig
Jose S. Padilla
David J. Palmer
Karen A. Potts
Timothy J. Ryan
Teresa A. Sanders
Roland J. Steinle, III
Sherry K. Stephens
Peter A. Thompson
David K. Udall
Christopher T. Whitten
MARICOPA COUNTY JUDGE REVIEWS
Appointed to Maricopa County Superior Court: 2005
Surveys Distributed: 103
Surveys Returned: 18
Surveys Distributed: 448
Appointed to Maricopa County Superior Court: 1998
Surveys Distributed: 189
Surveys Distributed: 78
Appointed to Maricopa County Superior Court: 2009
Surveys Distributed: 157
Surveys Returned: 48
Surveys Distributed: 377
Appointed to Maricopa County Superior Court: 2002
Surveys Returned: 37
Surveys Distributed: 566
Surveys Returned: 68
81%
0 Commissioner Voted "Does Not Meet"
Surveys Distributed: 235
Surveys Returned: 43
Surveys Distributed: 100
Surveys Distributed: 28
Appointed to Maricopa County Superior Court: 2001
Surveys Distributed: 441
Surveys Returned: 138
Surveys Distributed: 17
Surveys Distributed: 177
Surveys Returned: 34
Surveys Returned: 8
Surveys Distributed: 277
Appointed to Maricopa County Superior Court: 2010
Surveys Distributed: 119
Surveys Distributed: 284
Appointed to Maricopa County Superior Court: 2006
Surveys Distributed: 109
Surveys Distributed: 233
Surveys Distributed: 285
Surveys Distributed: 47
Surveys Distributed: 27
Surveys Returned: 21
77%
Surveys Distributed: 216
Surveys Distributed: 31
67%
Surveys Distributed: 256
Surveys Distributed: 35
Surveys Distributed: 120
Surveys Distributed: 331
Surveys Distributed: 215
Surveys Returned: 31
Surveys Distributed: 337
Surveys Distributed: 140
Surveys Distributed: 249
Surveys Returned: 70
20 Commissioners Voted "Meets"
10 Commissioners Voted "Does Not Meet"
Surveys Distributed: 201
Surveys Distributed: 332
Surveys Returned: 38
Surveys Distributed: 79
Surveys Returned: 22
Surveys Distributed: 329
Surveys Distributed: 63
Surveys Distributed: 62
Surveys Distributed: 108
Surveys Distributed: 246
Surveys Distributed: 137
Surveys Distributed: 283
Surveys Distributed: 37
Surveys Distributed: 479
72%
Surveys Distributed: 117
Surveys Distributed: 342
Appointed to Maricopa County Superior Court: 1997
Surveys Distributed: 273
73%
Surveys Returned: 40
Surveys Distributed: 48
Surveys Returned: 10
Surveys Distributed: 113
Surveys Distributed: 624
Appointed to Maricopa County Superior Court: 1993
Surveys Distributed: 44
Surveys Returned: 14
Surveys Distributed: 226
Surveys Returned: 53
Surveys Distributed: 16
Surveys Distributed: 230
Surveys Distributed: 49
Surveys Returned: 52
Surveys Distributed: 217
Surveys Returned: 86
22 Commissioners Voted "Meets"
8 Commissioners Voted "Does Not Meet"
Surveys Distributed: 145
Surveys Distributed: 195
Surveys Distributed: 10
Surveys Distributed: 146
Surveys Distributed: 338
Surveys Distributed: 197
Surveys Distributed: 25
Surveys Returned: 42
Surveys Distributed: 428
Surveys Distributed: 136
Surveys Distributed: 247
Surveys Distributed: 127
Surveys Distributed: 319
Surveys Distributed: 89
Surveys Distributed: 104
Surveys Distributed: 365
Surveys Distributed: 292
The Ballot Format displayed in HTML reflects only the text of the Ballot Proposition and does not reflect how it will appear on the General Election Ballot. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation were reproduced as submitted in the "for" and "against" arguments.
© September 2012