Title
SWEARING IN OF PRESIDING CITY JUDGE ELIZABETH FINN AND CITY JUDGE MANUEL DELGADO
Staff Contact: Office of the Mayor
end
Purpose and Recommended Action
Recommendation
This is a request to formally swear in Presiding City Judge Elizabeth Finn and City Judge Manuel Delgado.
Background
During the February 24, 2015 meeting, Council voted unanimously to reappoint Presiding City Judge Elizabeth Finn and City Judge Manuel Delgado. Judge Finn has served as the Presiding Judge in Glendale since 2003. Judge Delgado has served as City Judge in Glendale since 2013. With the reappointments, both Judge Finn and Judge Delgado will serve terms that will expire on March 25, 2017.
Prior to Council's votes to reappoint the judges, the Judicial Selection Advisory Board unanimously recommended the reappointment of both Judge Finn and Judge Delgado based on the results of their reappointment interviews, letters of recommendation received on their behalf, confidential survey results conducted by a private research firm, and other reappointment materials.
Analysis
The appointment and reappointment of City Judges is outlined in both the City Charter and the Glendale City Code as follows:
City Charter - Article XI - Sec. 4
The presiding officer of the city court shall be a city judge, who shall be appointed by the council and shall hold office during the pleasure of the council.
Glendale City Code - Chapter 13 - Article 1 - Sec. 13-2
The presiding officer of the city court shall be the presiding city judge who shall be appointed by the city council, after recommendation of the judicial selection advisory board.
Glendale City Code - Chapter 13 - Article 1 - Sec. 13-7
(a) Any city judge or court hearing officer shall be appointed for an initial term of two (2) years. The initial reappointment term shall be for a period of two (2) years and all subsequent re-appointments shall be for a period of four (4) years.
(b) The presiding city judge shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years.
Previous Related Council Action
During the February 24, 2015 meeting, Council voted unanimously to reappoint Presiding City Judge Elizabeth Finn and City Judge Manuel Delgado.
Judge Elizabeth Finn was previously reappointed to Presiding City Judge on March 25, 2013. City Judge Manuel Delgado was appointed as City Judge on March 25, 2013.
Community Benefit/Public Involvement
The confidential survey and questionnaire on the reappointment of Judge Finn was distributed to 498 recipients. The confidential survey and questionnaire on the reappointment of Judge Delgado was distributed to 353 recipients. Public input on reappointment was sought through advertisement in the Arizona Republic, the Glendale Star and Maricopa Lawyer (published by the Maricopa County Bar Association). The survey results and all letters of input were previously provided to the Mayor and Council, along with letters of recommendation received on behalf of the judges.