Arizona’s Supreme Court expanded its roster by two justices in 2016 after action by the legislature.
Gov. Doug Ducey has become the beneficiary of that growth, having already appointed Clint Bolick, Andrew Gould and John Lopez. He’ll have another opportunity, with Justice John Pelander — an appointment of Jan Brewer — retiring from the court later this year.
A list of 11 finalists is going through the interview process with the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments, and Ducey will pick the next justice from that collection.
The Show spoke with Tim Nelson of the Nelson Law Group. He was general counsel for Gov. Janet Napolitano, and he explained how governors go about choosing justices for the state’s high court.
The Show also spoke with Joe Kanefield of Ballard Spahr. He was general counsel when Jan Brewer was governor.
