Yvonne Wingett Sanchez

The Republic | azcentral.com

Ducey makes first appointment to the Supreme Court

He appointed an independent

Gov. Doug Ducey has appointed Phoenix attorney and Goldwater Institute litigator Clint Bolick to the Supreme Court of Arizona.

This is Ducey's first appointment to the Supreme Court bench and such appointments are typically considered to be among the most important decisions governors make given the tenure the justices typically serve and the seriousness of the issues they take up.

Bolick, an independent, specializes in United States and Arizona constitutional law, and also handles cases involving state and federal regulatory law, business and property regulation, health care, education and public pensions.

He has served as vice president for litigation at the Goldwater Institute since 2007 and has also worked as president and general counsel of the Alliance for School Choice and as vice president and director of litigation for the Institute for Justice, according to Ducey's office.

Bolick also has worked as an attorney for the Landmark Legal Foundation, the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Mountain States Legal Foundation.

The governor announced his appointment early Wednesday morning.

“Clint is nationally renowned and respected as a constitutional law scholar and as a champion of liberty,” Ducey stated in a news release. “He brings extensive experience and expertise, an unwavering regard for the rule of law and a firm commitment to the state and citizens of Arizona. I’m confident Clint will serve impartially and honorably in this important role.”

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Bolick told The Arizona Republic he will be sworn at 10:40 a.m. at the Secretary of State's Office but will not yet take office.

Bolick said he "will not shy away from very vigorously enforcing the precious liberties that are contained in the Constitution."

Bolick acknowledged that he stood out from the other applicants, who were all Court of Appeals judges and current or former prosecutors with "excellent" credentials, but said he thought Ducey would give him a fair shot.

"I know how committed Governor Ducey is to the Arizona Constitution, and I know that he is familiar with my record, so I thought I had a fair shot, and it turned out I did," he said.

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Bolick was on a phone call yesterday when the governor called to tell him of his decision. Bolick accidentally hung up on him. He managed to get his wits about him to call him back.

"I told him how honored and excited I am and how I hope I can live up to the confidence that he and others have invested in me," Bolick said. ​

Bolick's appointment fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Rebecca White Berch.

Those also under consideration for the appointment were Michael Brown, Kent Cattani, Andrew Gould, Maurice Portley, Samuel Thumma and Lawrence Winthrop.

Ducey's office said this is the first time an independent will serve on the Supreme Court bench. This is only the second time in Arizona history a governor has appointed someone outside his or her political party. In 1998, Gov. Jane Hull, a Republican, selected Ruth McGregor, a Democrat.