PHOENIX - The Commission on Appellate Court Appointments decided Friday that eight of the 17 applicants to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Robert Brutinel will advance to the next round on Dec. 9.

That is the date when the commissioners conduct interviews and decide who they want to send to Gov. Katie Hobbs for her final decision.

The commission could decide all eight would make suitable justices and send the governor the entire list from which to choose.

But commissioners also have the option to send the Democratic governor as few as three - the legal minimum allowed under the Arizona Constitution. At least one political independent must be listed.

That's because the panel is precluded from submitting a final list of nominees from only one party. And no Republicans submitted an application.

The commission is asking anyone who wants to comment about anyone on the list to either come to the Supreme Court building for the Dec. 9 meeting or to submit their comments in writing - jnc@courts.az.gov. Only those willing to identify themselves will have their views considered.

Those advancing to the interview stage of the process are:

- Maria Elena Cruz who is a judge on the state Court of Appeals. She is a Democrat.

- Nicole Davis, deputy director of the Department of Economic Security and the agency's general counsel. She is a political independent.

- Andrew Gaona who is a Democrat in private practice. He also represented Hobbs in some of the legal battles following the 2022 election as well as more recent court fights with both the head of the Arizona Republican Party and with Senate Republicans over confirmation of her agency directors.

- Andrew Jacobs on the Arizona Court of Appeals who is a Democrat.

- Doreen McPaul a Democrat who is the assistant legislative attorney for the Tohono O'odham Nation.

- Regina Nassen, principal assistant attorney for the city of Tucson. Initially a political independent, she registered as a Democrat for 14 years before becoming an independent again in 2014.

- Alexander Samuels, an assistant state attorney general who is a Democrat.

- Amy Sells, a Democrat working for a Phoenix law firm.

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