The Maricopa County Commission on Trial Court Appointments has put forth a list of 10 nominees for Gov. Katie Hobbs to consider for the two vacant spots on the Superior Court in Maricopa County, following the retirements of Hon. Timothy J. Ryan and Hon. John R. Hannah. Among the recommended are prominent figures such as Harla M. Davison, a Democrat and current Commissioner with the Superior Court in Maricopa County, and Lindsay M. Hughes, a Republican who serves as Associate Presiding Commissioner in the same court.
The diversified slate of potential jurists includes both Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, each bringing a mix of legal expertise and courtroom experience. Nominees like Utiki S. Laing, a Democrat and Commissioner of the Superior Court, and Addison B. Owen, a Republican Assistant U.S. Attorney, represent the ideological breadth within the list. The information about the nominees was published in a news release by the Arizona Courts on November 19th, 2025.
Ongoing discussions and speculations hint towards Gov. Hobbs' upcoming decision, which remains watched closely by political observers and the legal community alike. The list also includes Ashley B. Rahaman, a Democrat and Commissioner with the Superior Court, and Jessica S. Sanchez, an Independent who is an Equity Partner with Udall Shumway P.L.C. Their potential appointments are seen as instrumental in shaping the future of the state's judiciary landscape.
The list is rounded out by other notable legal figures, such as Sarah E. Selzer, a Democrat and Commissioner for the Superior Court, and Jonathan C. Simon, an Independent Commissioner for the same. Other nominees include B. Don Taylor III, a Democrat serving as the Chief Presiding Judge at the Phoenix Municipal Court, and Kirsten J. Wright, a Democrat Division Chief Counsel in the Child and Family Protection Division at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. Governor Hobbs' appointments will be decisive in filling the openings left by the esteemed judges.
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