2006 Public Hearing Minutes

Contact: Annette Corallo
JPR Program Manager
(602) 364-0098
e-mail: acorallo@courts.az.gov

The Arizona Commission on Judicial Performance Review will hold public hearings at the following times and locations to take comments on judges appearing on the 2006 retention ballot:

Established in 1992 by a constitutional amendment passed by voters, the 30-member Commission is charged with conducting performance reviews of judges. It sets performance standards for judges, decides whether or not a judge meets those standards, and publishes its findings for voters.

In addition to holding the public hearings, the Commission surveyed litigants, witnesses, jurors, people who represented themselves in court, staff and attorneys who appeared before Superior Court judges from August 29 through December 30, 2005. Surveys on appellate court justices and judges are distributed throughout their term. More than 56,000 surveys on Arizona judges were distributed in 2005.

The Commission's findings will be released to the public before the 2006 general election in the Secretary of State's voter pamphlet. The findings will also be available on the Commission's website at www.azjudges.info. Voters will decide whether judges remain in office on November 7.

Any citizen may appear at a public hearing or send written comments by April 14, 2006, to the Commission on Judicial Performance Review, 1501 West Washington, Suite 227, Phoenix, AZ 85007-3231. Comments can also be sent through the Commission's web page at www.azjudges.info.

Comments are invited on the following judges:

Arizona Supreme Court:

Andrew D. Hurwitz
Ruth V. McGregor

Court of Appeals Division I:

Donn G. Kessler
Patricia Norris
Maurice Portley

Court of Appeals Division II:

J. William Brammer, Jr.
Philip G. Espinosa
Peter J. Eckerstrom
Joseph W. Howard

Superior Court in Maricopa County:

Superior Court in Pima County: