James A. Walsh Outstanding Jurist Award

Established in April 1989, this award recognizes that judge whose career exemplifies the highest standards of judicial conduct for integrity and independence; who is knowledgeable of the law and faithful to it; who is unswayed by partisan interests, public clamor or fear of criticism; who is patient, dignified and courteous to all who appear before that judge; and who endeavors to improve the administration of justice and public understanding of, and respect for, the role of law in our society.

2024 Recipient

Hon. Robert M. Brutinel
Chief Justice Brutinel was appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court in November of 2010, elected
as Vice Chief Justice in January 2018 and became Chief Justice on July 1, 2019. Prior to his
appointment, Justice Brutinel served as the Presiding Judge of Yavapai County Superior Court.
Justice Brutinel currently chairs the Arizona Supreme Court Steering Committee on Artificial
Intelligence and the Courts. Justice Brutinel recently completed his second term on the Board of
Directors of the Conference of Chief Justices and has served on the Arizona Supreme Court
Committee on Juvenile Courts, the Arizona Supreme Court Commission on Technology, the
Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct, the Supreme Court Arizona Judicial Council, the Arizona
Character Education Commission, and the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet. Justice Brutinel is past
president of the Arizona Judges Association and the Yavapai County Bar Association and has
served as an Advisory Board Member for the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections.
Justice Brutinel graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Economics in 1979,
received his law degree from the University of Arizona in 1982 and an LL.M. in Judicial Studies
from Duke University in 2018. Justice Brutinel practiced law in Prescott, Arizona, prior to serving
as a judge.

Previous Recipients

The award has been presented to:

1989	Hon. James A. Walsh
1990	Hon. William P. Copple
1991	Hon. James Duke Cameron
1992	Hon. Frank X. Gordon, Jr.
1993	Hon. Alice Truman
1994	Hon. Stanley G. Feldman
1995	Hon. Robert B. Buchanan
1996	Hon. James Moeller
1997	Hon. Jack L. Ogg
1998	Hon. Ronald S. Reinstein
1999	Hon. Elizabeth R. Finn
2000	Hon. William C. Canby, Jr.
2001	Hon. Thomas A. Zlaket
2002	Hon. Edward L. Dawson
2003	Hon. Michael Daly Hawkins
2004	Hon. Mary Murphy Schroeder Hon. George B. Nielsen, Jr.
2005	Hon. Michael D. Ryan
2006	Hon. Stephen M. McNamee
2007	Hon. C. Kimball Rose (posthumously)
2008	Hon. Barry C. Schneider
2009	Chief Justice Ruth V. McGregor
2010	Hon. Barbara Rodriguez Mundell
2011	Hon. John M. Roll (posthumously)
2012	Hon. James M. Marlar
2013	Hon. Robert L. Gottsfield
2014	Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch
2015	Hon. Lawrence F. Winthrop
2016	Hon. Andrew G. Klein
2017	Hon. Patricia K. Norris
2018	Hon. G. Murray Snow
2019	Chief Justice W. Scott Bales
2020	Hon. Diane M. Johnsen (ret.)
2021	Hon. Joseph Kreamer
2022	Hon. Kyle A. Bryson
2023	Hon. Samuel A. Thumma
2024	Chief Justice Robert M. Brutinel

James A. Walsh Outstanding Jurist Award

2024 Recipient

Previous Recipients

State Bar Annual Awards

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