Judicial Openings and Appointments

Governor Hobbs Announces Appointment of AWLA Member Jessica Sanchez and Don Taylor to Maricopa County Superior Court

News Release January 9, 2026

Phoenix, AZ – Today, Governor Katie Hobbs announced the appointment of Jessica S. Sanchez and B. Don Taylor III to the Maricopa County Superior Court. Since 2007, Sanchez has practiced law primarily in the field of education, advising and representing school districts and charter schools on issues such as employment law and constitutional law. She served on the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Arizona from 2017 to 2024, including as president from 2022 to 2023. She has also served as the President of Los Abogados and a co-chair of the Latina Mentoring Project, as well as on numerous Arizona Supreme Court committees, including the Arizona Judicial Council and the Judicial Performance Review Task Force.

Taylor has served as the presiding judge on the Phoenix Municipal Court since 2015. He was an Assistant City Prosecutor in the Phoenix City Prosecutor’s Office from 1996 to 2005 before accepting a Fulbright Fellowship to study international law abroad. He subsequently served as a legal officer for the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and as a law professor before returning to Phoenix in 2011 as the Phoenix Municipal Court’s Executive Court Administrator.

“Each of these appointees brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the court,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “They have shown tremendous leadership and commitment to the community, and I am confident that they will serve the people of Arizona well in their new roles.”

The appointments are to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of Judges John R. Hannah and Timothy J. Ryan.

Presiding Judge

Interested applicants should submit a completed application packet that contains the items listed below. Application packets submitted without all the required items will not begiven further consideration. The Supplemental Application Materials and Questions document is provided in both PDF and Word formats, please only submit one (1).

1. Application (PDF) | Application (Word)
2. Resume
3. Supplemental Application Materials (PDF) | Supplemental Application Materials (Word)

Judicial Nominees Announced for Openings on Superior Court in Maricopa County

November 19, 2025

PHOENIX - The Maricopa County Commission on Trial Court Appointments has recommended 10 nominees to Gov. Katie Hobbs for the two openings on the Superior Court in Maricopa County. AWLA Members are in Blue.

The nominees for the openings created by the retirement of Hon. Timothy J. Ryan and Hon. John R. Hannah are:

Harla M. Davison, Democrat, Commissioner with the Superior Court in Maricopa County.
Lindsay M. Hughes, Republican, Associate Presiding Commissioner with the Superior Court in Maricopa County.
Utiki S. Laing, Democrat, Commissioner with the Superior Court in Maricopa County
Addison B. Owen, Republican, Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S Attorney’s Office.
Ashley B. Rahaman, Democrat, Commissioner with the Superior Court in Maricopa County.
Jessica S. Sanchez, Independent, Equity Partner with Udall Shumway P.L.C.
Sarah E. Selzer, Democrat, Commissioner with the Superior Court in Maricopa County.
Jonathan C. Simon, Independent, Commissioner with the Superior Court in Maricopa County.
B. Don Taylor III, Democrat, Chief Presiding Judge at the Phoenix Municipal Court.
Kirsten J. Wright, Democrat, Division Chief Counsel in the Child and Family Protection Division at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

Gov. Hobbs will make the appointments.

Governor Hobbs Announces Appointment of Elizabeth Bingert and Rachel Hernandez to Maricopa County Superior Court

October 16, 2025

Phoenix, AZ – Today, Governor Katie Hobbs announced the appointment of Elizabeth T. Bingert and Rachel C. Hernandez to the Maricopa County Superior Court. Bingert has served as a court commissioner since 2021 and previously served in the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office. Outside of those roles, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service, including founding ROBES (Reaching Out and Building Engagement through Service), a judicial community service organization.

Hernandez served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona for over 25 years. She established herself as a leader both inside the office and out, having served as the President of the Arizona Bar Foundation, worked on numerous committees with the Arizona State Bar, as well as held leadership roles in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including as First Assistant U.S. Attorney from 2021 until earlier this year.

“I am proud to appoint two career public servants to the bench,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “Both Elizabeth Bingert and Rachel Hernandez have shown not only that they have the skills necessary to be effective judges, but that they are entering their new roles committed to serving the people of Arizona and improving access to justice.”

The appointments are to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of Judges Michael W. Kemp and M. Scott McCoy.