PROPOSITION 137
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ARIZONA CONSTITUTION BY THE LEGISLATURE RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT


Official Title

AMENDING ARTICLE VI, SECTIONS 4, 9, 12, 37, 38, 39, 41 AND 42, CONSTITUTION OF ARIZONA.

Descriptive Title

ELIMINATES JUDICIAL TERMS AND REGULAR RETENTION ELECTIONS AND NULLIFIES THE RESULTS OF THE 2024 JUDICIAL RETENTION ELECTIONS, FOR ARIZONA SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, COURT OF APPEALS JUDGES, AND SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES IN COUNTIES WITH OVER 250,000 PERSONS. ALLOWS SUCH JUSTICES AND JUDGES TO HOLD OFFICE DURING GOOD BEHAVIOR UNTIL AGE 70.

A "yes" vote shall have the effect of amending the Arizona Constitution to eliminate judicial terms for judges of the Arizona Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and judges of the Superior Court in counties with more than 250,000 people. Voters will no longer have the ability to decide whether to retain those judges at the end of their judicial terms. Those judges would instead be subject to a retention election only if they were convicted of a felony or a crime involving fraud or dishonesty; were a debtor in a bankruptcy proceeding; held a mortgage under foreclosure; or did not meet performance standards according to the Commission on Judicial Performance Review. The House of Representatives and the Senate will each be able to appoint one member to the Commission. If any legislator asks the Commission to investigate whether a judge has engaged in misconduct, the Commission must investigate that

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PROPOSITION 137
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ARIZONA CONSTITUTION BY THE LEGISLATURE RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT


Official Title

AMENDING ARTICLE VI, SECTIONS 4, 9, 12, 37, 38, 39, 41 AND 42, CONSTITUTION OF ARIZONA.

Descriptive Title

ELIMINATES JUDICIAL TERMS AND REGULAR RETENTION ELECTIONS AND NULLIFIES THE RESULTS OF THE 2024 JUDICIAL RETENTION ELECTIONS, FOR ARIZONA SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, COURT OF APPEALS JUDGES, AND SUPERIOR COURT JUDGES IN COUNTIES WITH OVER 250,000 PERSONS. ALLOWS SUCH JUSTICES AND JUDGES TO HOLD OFFICE DURING GOOD BEHAVIOR UNTIL AGE 70.

A "yes" vote shall have the effect of amending the Arizona Constitution to eliminate judicial terms for judges of the Arizona Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and judges of the Superior Court in counties with more than 250,000 people. Voters will no longer have the ability to decide whether to retain those judges at the end of their judicial terms. Those judges would instead be subject to a retention election only if they were convicted of a felony or a crime involving fraud or dishonesty; were a debtor in a bankruptcy proceeding; held a mortgage under foreclosure; or did not meet performance standards according to the Commission on Judicial Performance Review. The House of Representatives and the Senate will each be able to appoint one member to the Commission. If any legislator asks the Commission to investigate whether a judge has engaged in misconduct, the Commission must investigate that allegation. If approved, these amendments will apply retroactively such that votes cast in the November 2024 election about whether to retain a judge will not be given effect.


A "no" vote shall have the effect of maintaining the current system of voters deciding whether to retain a judge at the end of their judicial term.

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