Chief Justice Scott Bales and Superior Court Judge Dan Slayton were present when the Coconino County Board of Supervisors recently met to discuss the merit selection of judges and the Justice for All Initiative. 

Bales issued the Task Force on Fair Justice for All: Court-Ordered Fines, Penalties, Fees and Pretrial Release Policies in 2016. The discussion also focused on other financial issues faced by Arizona courts, including fines, liability to post bail, etc.

“Coconino County is very supportive of justice reform,” Supervisor Liz Archuleta said. “Coconino County has been a fierce advocate of the Justice for All Task Force recommendations, especially changing the way bail is administered. People are losing their jobs, their homes and their families before they’ve even been convicted of a crime, all because they can’t afford to escape the cycle or don’t have the privileges or means to do so.”

The panel also discussed perceived shortcomings in the process of the merit selection of judges. Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties use this appointment method to select judges for the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and the superior courts rather than elections.