Tucson, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey Friday announced the appointment of Laurie San Angelo to the Pima County Superior Court. This appointment fills the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Scott H. Rash to the United States District Court, District of Arizona.
Laurie has been serving as a Commissioner and Judge Pro Tem with the Pima County Superior County since 2013, where she has presided over family and juvenile cases. From 2016 to 2018, she also served as the Coordinating Commissioner where she was responsible for policy input and special projects for the family law court. Since January of this year, Laurie has also been serving as the Juvenile Model Court Judge where she runs quarterly meetings with various stakeholders.
Prior to her appointment to the bench, Laurie worked at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office from 1984 to 2013, where she most recently served as the South Unit Chief Counsel for the Protective Services Section and managed nearly 45 attorneys and staff members in three offices. During her time at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, she represented the Arizona Department of Child Safety throughout southern Arizona by handling child welfare matters, including dependency and severance of parental rights actions. She also handled juvenile mental health proceedings and family law matters.
Laurie was also one of three Assistant Attorney Generals selected to serve on the Model Court Project in 1997. This was a groundbreaking project that assured each family would have timely court hearings, and its procedures were eventually adopted as state dependency law.
Laurie is an active member in her community. She is a regular volunteer with the Lawyers for Literacy program through the Pima County Bar Foundation, where she has tutored an elementary student in reading every week. She has volunteered for the American Lung Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Courts R Us program. Laurie also volunteers her time to the legal community, including as an active member of the Pima County Bar Association for which she served as President from 2012 to 2013.
“Laurie’s lifelong service protecting Arizona families and work experience as a Judge Pro Tem and Assistant Attorney General make her a noteworthy candidate for the bench,” said Governor Ducey. “I am pleased to announce Laurie’s appointment to the Pima County Superior Court.”
Laurie received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Baylor University. She went on to earn her law degree from the University of Arizona, where she served on the Arizona Law Review. Following the completion of her law degree, Laurie clerked for Chief Justice William Holohan of the Arizona Supreme Court.