AZ Supreme Court Justice Robert Brutinel will retire in October

[RandySF]

Arizona Supreme Court Justice Robert Brutinel, a member of the state's top court since 2010, has notified the governor he plans to retire effective Oct. 31.

Brutinel told Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs of his plans in a two-page letter Tuesday, a copy of which was obtained by The Arizona Republic.

"The decision to leave the court has not been easy and I will greatly miss the Court's interesting and challenging work and particularly all the wonderful people with whom I have had the pleasure of working," the letter reads.

Former Republican Gov. Jan Brewer named Brutinel to the court in 2010, citing his reputation as “a man of high honor and integrity.” Brutinel previously served 14 years on the Yavapai County Superior Court bench. His fellow justices elected him chief justice for a five-year term in 2019. That term ended earlier this year.





https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/09/24/arizona-supreme-court-justice-robert-brutinel-to-retire/75369315007/

[ColinC]

1. Will this likely create a Democratic majority on the court?

[Ptah]

2. All seven were appointed by republican governors.

[ColinC]

3. "No" would've sufficed

[Ptah]

4. But wait, there's more

Between February to April 2024, the Arizona Senate (with all Republican state senators approving and all Democratic state senators objecting) passed a resolution to change the Arizona Supreme Court term length from six years to lifelong, which would apply retroactively and override the result of the November 2024 Arizona Supreme Court retention elections; the resolution is pending approval in the Arizona House of Representatives.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Supreme_Court#Selection_of_justices

[ColinC]

5. Oh good grief Charlie Brown!

Now of course they don’t have a veto proof majority, right?

[Ptah]

6. I'm not sure about a veto proof majority.

If the two justices up for retention on this year's ballot are removed, this will give Gov. Katie Hobbs three nominations for the seven member court.

Judicial retention elections usually aren’t the sexiest items on the ballot, but this year two campaigns are fighting to persuade voters to either retain or throw out two Arizona Supreme Court justices.

At the same time, voters will be considering a constitutional amendment that would essentially give judges lifetime appointments.

Justices Clint Bolick and Kathryn King are up this year for a routine retention vote that the judges on the high court face every six years. And if voters in November favor Proposition 137, dubbed “The Judicial Accountability Act of 2024,” it could be their last retention election ever.

https://azmirror.com/2024/09/18/campaigns-battle-over-the-fate-of-2-az-supreme-court-justices-who-ushered-in-the-1864-abortion-ban/