Commission sends Hobbs 7 suggestions for new Pima County Superior Court judge

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs will pick the next Pima County Superior Court judge from among seven candidates recommended by a judicial screening panel.

The new judge will serve in the spot opened by Judge Renee T. Bennett, who retired earlier this year.

The court consists of 53 judicial officers who preside over cases involving criminal, civil, family law, juvenile and probate matters.

Arizona law requires the commission to recommend at least three candidates for appointment, with no more than 60 percent of them from the same political party as the governor. 

The commission met Monday and announced their choices on Tuesday, including four Democrats, two Republicans, and one independent. The candidates are:

• Michael J. Martinez Areinoff, an independent, associate general counsel for Tucson Unified School District 
• Daniel R. Huff, a Republican, a commissioner with the Pima County Superior Court 
• Nanette C. A. Morrow, a Republican, a senior litigation counsel with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office 
• Kristin J. Schriner, a Democrat, a commissioner with the Superior Court in Pima County 
• Nathan T. Wade, a Democrat, commissioner with the Superior Court in Pima County
• Kendrick A. Wilson, a Democrat, justice of the peace with the Pima County Consolidated Justice Court who lost his re-election bid this year
• Antonio Lopez Zapata, a Democrat, legal advisor for the Tucson Police Department 

Applicants are required meet certain criteria, including being at least 30 years old, “of good moral character,”admitted to practice law in and a resident of Arizona for the past five years, and a resident of Pima County for the past year.

The current annual salary for a Superior Court judge is $180,000. That will increase by $10,000 next year.