Justice Maria Elena Cruz
Justice Cruz has served on the bench since 2005 and is the first justice of Latina and African descent to serve on the state’s highest court. Prior to her appointment to the Arizona Supreme Court, she served as a judge on the Cocopah Tribal Court, Yuma County Superior Court, and Arizona Court of Appeals. Justice Cruz obtained her J.D. from the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law and has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. She began her practice of law as a prosecutor in Arizona at the Yuma County Attorney’s Office, prosecuting felony offenders. Later, she practiced in criminal defense, eventually venturing into solo practice.