COVID-19 AND APPELLATE PRACTICE: THERE'S A GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW CLE OFFERED*
The Honorable Jennifer B. Campbell was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, on April 27, 2017, by Governor Douglas Ducey. Judge Campbell graduated magna cum laude from Colorado State University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 2002. She began her legal career at the law firm of Mounger & Campbell, PLLC, in Travis County, Texas. Upon moving to Arizona, she practiced civil and real estate litigation with the law firm of Vakula & Kottke, PLLC, in Prescott. Always wanting to explore the practice of criminal law, she worked for the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office and eventually started her own firm – The Campbell Law Firm, PLLC. In 2011 she was appointed by Governor Jan Brewer to serve as a judge on the Yavapai County Superior Court, Division Two. While on the bench, she was assigned one of the most diverse calendars in the superior court. She was given the responsibility of conducting all criminal initial appearances, all mental health cases, and a portion of the cases filed in the Verde Valley in the area of civil, domestic, criminal, and probate law. She was also tasked with presiding over the weekly Verde Valley Early Disposition Court and both juvenile and adult drug and DUI courts. While on the bench, Judge Campbell—in partnership with the Adult Probation Department—created a new, more responsive probation program called Project S.A.F.E. in an effort to hold people placed on probation more accountable. In 2013 she was rotated to a felony case load and presided over many jury trials and the Early Disposition Court. Judge Campbell is the president of the Arizona Judges Association and sits on various other statewide committees. She has been a member of AWLA since 2010.
The Honorable Maria Elena Cruz was appointed to the Court of Appeals, Division One on April 12, 2017 by Governor Douglas Ducey. She obtained a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona, 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. As a solo practitioner, Judge Cruz primarily undertook representation in criminal and family law matters and served as judge pro tem for the Cocopah Indian Tribe. In 2008 Judge Cruz was elected Superior Court Judge in Yuma County, Arizona and at the time of her appointment to the Court of Appeals was the Presiding Judge in Yuma County. In addition to her judicial responsibilities, Judge Cruz serves on the Arizona Supreme Court’s Commission on Access to Justice, as well as the Arizona Supreme Court’s Task Force on Justice for All and the Commission on Victims in the Court. Judge Cruz contributes to the development of the law internationally by serving as a professor of law teaching trial advocacy in various regions within the Republic of Mexico, including Mexico City, Tijuana, Mexicali, La Paz, and Guanajuato. She has been a member of AWLA since 2017.
*The State Bar of Arizona does not approve or accredit CLE activities for the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education requirement. This activity may qualify for up to 0.0 hour toward your annual CLE requirement for the State Bar of Arizona, including 0 hour of professional responsibility.