HB2757

THE CONTEXT: The Arizona Court of Appeals is the state's intermediate appellate court of record, established by Laws 1964, Chapter 102, 1 as the first level of appeal from the superior court. It is comprised of two divisions, designated as Division 1, which is based in Phoenix, and Division 2, which is based in Tucson.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would remove the county-based retention election requirements for judges on both divisions of the Court of Appeals, require that each Court of Appeals judge be elected for retention on a statewide basis at the general election next preceding the expiration of the judge's term in office and states that all otherwise eligible registered voters in Arizona are eligible to vote in these races, and deems the designated post of duty for Court of Appeals judges in Division 1, excluding Maricopa county, and in Division 2, excluding Pima county, to be the judge's place of physical residence.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to make election administration and accountability rules for court of appeals more definite. It would remove the county-based retention election requirements for judges on both divisions of the Court of Appeals, and would also require that each Court of Appeals judge be elected for retention on a statewide basis at the general election next preceding the expiration of the judge's term in office and states that all otherwise eligible registered voters in Arizona are eligible to vote in these races, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.