Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey Wednesday announced the appointment of Bill Montgomery to the Arizona Supreme Court. Bill has demonstrated a commitment to justice, fairness and the rule of law throughout his decades-long service to our state and nation.
"Bill Montgomery has dedicated his life to serving our state and our nation,” said Governor Ducey. “He's served with honor and integrity — whether it was rising through the ranks of the United States Army as a decorated Gulf War Veteran or successfully garnering the support of citizens in his bid for County Attorney in the fourth-most populous county in the nation. There, he cleaned up an office that was in disarray and mired in controversy.”
“Bill’s record, resume and extensive list of supporters speak to his qualifications and his broad support in the community. On the Court, Bill will be a strong defender of the Constitution and the rule of law. He will serve with honor and dedication, just as he has throughout his entire career. Finally, I want to thank Chief Justice Bales for his service to Arizona and the Court. He has served honorably and I wish him and his family all the best.”
Bill has served as the Maricopa County Attorney since 2010, where he oversees criminal, civil and appellate cases filed and defended by deputy county attorneys in his office. He provides daily direction and leadership to over 1,000 employees, including over 350 attorneys. Upon taking office, Bill implemented sweeping ethics training, personally administered the oath of office to new attorneys within the office to underscore the importance of the oath and the shared duty to uphold it, and expanded the authority of the office’s Ethics Committee. His tenure at the Maricopa County Attorney’s office is the most recent entry in a career dedicated to public service.
A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Bill served six and a half years of active duty in the Army. Bill received his law degree from Arizona State University’s College of Law, graduating Magna Cum Laude and Order of the Coif. He served on the law journal as an associate articles editor. During that time he also served as a Truman R. Young Prosecution Fellow.
Montgomery has volunteered countless hours assisting families in need and has taught as an Adjunct Faculty at ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. For his service to the public, Montgomery has been awarded the Town of Gilbert Mayoral Award for Community Service; the ChildHelp Founders Award; the Chicanos Por La Causa Champion for Children Honor; and the Si Se Puede Foundation Child Advocate of the Year Award. He also has been recognized by Latino America Primero for his work with the Latino community.
In 2016, Montgomery served as co-chairman of the Governor’s Sex Assault Evidence Collection Kit Task Force, resulting in major investments to eliminate the backlog of untested rape kits. As a result of these efforts, in April 2019 the Maricopa County Attorney’s office announced they had identified and indicted 14 defendants, with 7 of them convicted and 7 others pending trial.
This appointment of Bill Montgomery fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Scott Bales.