"We know and celebrate that these elements which are not tracked are just as valuable as those that are," he said.įurthermore, justices are not appointed but elected, Davis explained. "Citizens should expect appropriate representation and, in fact, they have the final say in ensuring that ideal. The hiring committee for supplemental judicial officers is also mindful to consider gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, area of practice, experience level, or even geographic location within the county when reviewing candidates, Davis added. "We have judges and pro-tem judges (that’s like a substitute teacher) who in their everyday life identify as biracial, multi-racial, Middle Eastern, South American, and more who self-categorized as white because there is no better ‘fit,'" Davis said. The courts have made a conscious effort to ensure employees and judges reflect the population they serve, Davis explained. Out of the 26 elected justices of the peace in Maricopa County, nine are women, three are African American, five are Latinx or Hispanic, one is Native American and two identify as LGBTQ.īut diversity in the Maricopa County Justice Courts exists beyond just racial and gender statistics, court spokesperson Scott Davis wrote in an email to The Arizona Republic. In the Maricopa County Justice Courts, however, those statistics are noticeably different, with many judges coming from traditionally underrepresented communities. Of the total 80 justices of the peace in Arizona, there are twice as many male judges as female judges. La Paz, Mohave, Pinal, and Yavapai counties only have white justices of the peace while courts in Yuma, Santa Cruz and Graham are presided over exclusively by male judges. The Latino and Hispanic community represents about 30% of the state residents but less than 11% of Arizona justices. In a report published in April 2021, the Arizona Advocacy Foundation found that while the Justice Courts in Arizona are the most racially diverse compared to judges in federal and state supreme courts, they still fail to represent the state’s demographic makeup.Īrizona’s justices are 80% white and predominantly male, even though white people only represent 55% of the general population. And so I'm glad that I can come in with my purple hair and people seem to feel a little bit relaxed." Leading the way in diversityįrom left, Judges Cathy Riggs, Elaissia Sears and Gerald Williams prepare for a group photo of the 26 justices of the peace in Maricopa County outside the Maricopa County Courthouse on Friday, Oct. "They're crying and they're concerned about how the judge is going to read them. "When you have people coming in to plead guilty to their DUI, many people are scared, they've never gone through anything like that in their lives," she explained. Justice Courts are elected every four years through a partisan primary election at the county level. The judges oversee cases that range from traffic violations to domestic violence, housing disputes as well as misdemeanor and criminal offenses punishable to up to 6 months in jail. "I feel like most of the reactions are positive because they've never seen somebody who looks like them," she said. Sears doesn't fit into what most picture when they think of a judge. When people first walk into her courtroom, they have a wide range of reactions, she said. She sees her age and perspective as someone who is from the community she serves - she is a product of Mesa Public Schools - as an asset in judicial proceedings. Now 27, she has been serving her first term proudly. Sears was elected justice of the peace in Maricopa County's West Mesa Precinct when she was 24. "As a young black woman who's sitting on the bench, there are many people who walk into my court who are blatantly shocked that I'm sitting here," Judge Elaissia Sears said while talking about her position as the youngest judge on the bench. In fact, the Maricopa County Justice Courts takes pride in having a bench of judges from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, including three of the four African-American State Justices in Arizona and one of the youngest judges ever elected in Arizona. Amidst reports of the state's judicial system's lack of representation, one county in Arizona stands out for its diverse group of justices.
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