Maricopa County's Superior Court is on the cusp of change, with judge Lisa A. VandenBerg's retirement announcement triggering a third vacancy, joining the ranks of the Hon. Bruce R. Cohen and Hon. Jo Lynn Gentry, who previously announced their retirements. The Maricopa County Commission on Trial Court Appointments is gearing up for a public meeting on January 15 to discuss the vacancies. The meeting will take place in Conference Room 101 of the Arizona State Courts Building, located at 1501 W Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007, according to the news release.
The details about the meeting and the application review process were published in advance on the Arizona Judiciary's official website. The release ensures that the public is not only informed but also invited to participate by sending written comments to [email protected] or by mail, due by tomorrow at the latest. However, anonymous submissions cannot be considered.
In anticipation of community engagement, public opinion will have a forum on the day of the January 15 meeting, where people can have their thoughts and concerns heard. The commission will then deliberate, selecting the lucky applicants who will be interviewed the following month on February 12, with further details to be disclosed after the initial meeting. The names of the interviewees and logistics around the coming stage of this process will become clearer after January 15. After the interviews, a list of at least three nominees for each vacant position will be sent to Gov. Katie Hobbs, who will make the final decision on appointing the new judges.
