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Maria Elena Cruz
Justice, Arizona Supreme Court
Background: Prior to her service as a judge, she worked as a judge pro tempore for the Cocopah Indian Tribe, an attorney with the Yuma County Attorney’s Office, and as an assistant legal defender.
At a glance
- Court
- Arizona Supreme Court
- Position / seat
- Not listed
- Chief justice
- No
- How they joined the court
- Appointed by Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) (January 29, 2025); retained by voters in a retention election on November 3, 2020
- Appointed by
- Gov. Katie Hobbs (D)
- Appointment date
- January 29, 2025
- Took office
- February 3, 2025
- Current term ends
- December 31, 2028
- Next election or retention vote
- Not listed
- Last election
- November 3, 2020
- Party (as listed by Ballotpedia)
- Nonpartisan
- Ballotpedia partisanship estimate
- Not listed
- Education
- Bachelor's: University of Arizona
- Law: University of Arizona College of Law
- Prior offices
- Arizona Court of Appeals Division One (2017 - 2025)
- Profession
- Not listed
- How this court's justices are chosen
- Assisted appointment (governor-controlled commission)A nominating commission screens candidates and sends a shortlist; the governor appoints from it. In many such states, justices later face yes/no retention elections.
Summary of facts listed on Maria Elena Cruz’s Ballotpedia page (retrieved Oct 26, 2026) · Photo: Ballotpedia. “Not listed” means Ballotpedia didn’t list it in a form this site could read; check Ballotpedia for the latest.
No public decision data available for this court.