Gov. Doug Ducey has already reshaped the Arizona Supreme Court, having been given the opportunity to appoint four of the current seven justices. Most recently, he chose Judge James Beene from a list to succeed retiring Justice John Pelander.
And the Governor will get his fifth choice when Chief Justice Scott Bales — the panel’s only Democrat, appointed by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano — retires this summer.
Bales is leaving the bench well before the required retirement age of 70. His next job will be as Executive Director of the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver.
Chief Justice Bales is with me to talk about his law career and the current condition of Arizona’s judicial system.
His last day on the Arizona Supreme Court is July 31.
