Michael S. Catlett
Photograph courtesy of the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One.
Education and employment
An Arizona native, Michael S. Catlett was appointed to Division One of the Arizona Court of Appeals by Governor Doug Ducey in 2022. From 2020 to 2023, Judge Catlett worked at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office as Deputy Solicitor General and Chief Counsel of Special Litigation, representing the State of Arizona and the Arizona Attorney General in trial and appellate courts. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Judge Catlett was a complex commercial and appellate litigator in private practice with the law firms of Quarles & Brady LLP (Associate 2010-2014, Partner 2014-2020) and Osborn Maledon, P.A. (Associate 2007-2010). After graduating from law school, Judge Catlett served a one-year clerkship (2006-2007) with the Hon. Paul J. Kelly, Jr., United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Judge Catlett received his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude in finance from Arizona State University. Judge Catlett received his law degree summa cum laude and order of the coif from the University of Arizona College of Law, where he was Editor-In-Chief of the Arizona Law Review. Judge Catlett has been a member of the Arizona State Bar’s Civil Practice and Procedure Committee and is an author of a chapter in the Arizona Attorneys’ Fee Manual. Judge Catlett has also been a professor of practice at the University of Arizona College of Law, co-teaching a course on Government Liability. Judge Catlett has donated his time to provide pro bono legal services through the Federal Court Pro Se Litigant Clinic and the Ninth Circuit’s Pro Bono program and has volunteered as a youth basketball coach.
Judicial record
344 opinions where Michael S. Catlett sat on the panel, spanning 2023–2026.
By court
By disposition
Panel votes per year
How Michael S. Catlett's panel-seat count has shifted year by year. Overlaid with Maria Elena Cruz for comparison (drop the overlay).
- Michael S. Catlett
- Maria Elena Cruz
Most-frequent co-panelists
Judges who appeared on the same opinions. aligned = same bucket (both majority, both dissent); partial = concurred in result but wrote separately; split = the meaningful disagreement (majority vs dissent).
- Jennifer M. Perkins 102 shared 102 aligned compare
- Angela K. Paton 89 shared 89 aligned compare
- David D. Weinzweig 85 shared 84 aligned 1 split compare
- Randall M. Howe 60 shared 60 aligned compare
- Andrew M. Jacobs 49 shared 49 aligned compare
- D. Steven Williams 48 shared 48 aligned compare
- Maria Elena Cruz 46 shared 46 aligned compare
- James B. Morse Jr. 43 shared 43 aligned compare
- Daniel J. Kiley 39 shared 38 aligned 1 split compare
- Michael J. Brown 35 shared 34 aligned 1 partial compare
Recent opinions
15 most recent opinions where Michael S. Catlett sat on the panel.
| Docket | Court | Filed | Disposition | Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 CA-CV 25-0862 FC | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-11-04 | Affirmed | Smythe v. Stewart |
| 1 CA-CV 26-0004 FC | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-11-04 | Affirmed | Warner v. Gurule |
| 1 CA-JV 26-0081 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-10-28 | Affirmed | In Re Term of Parental Rights as to T.T. |
| 1 CA-CR 26-0064 PRPC | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-10-23 | Denied | State v. Mitchell |
| 1 CA-JV 26-0033 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-10-19 | Affirmed | In Re Term of Parental Rights as to M.C. |
| 1 CA-CV 26-0167 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-10-19 | Affirmed | CARRASCO v. HONORHEALTH |
| 1 CA-CV 25-1023 FC | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-10-15 | Dismissed | Pike v. Vanderhyde |
| 1 CA-JV 26-0091 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-10-15 | Affirmed | In Re Term of Parental Rights as to J.H. and P.H. |
| 1 CA-CV 26-0017 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-10-14 | Affirmed | Wellness v. Arizona Doh |
| 1 CA-CR 26-0054 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-10-09 | Dismissed | State v. Coble |
| 1 CA-IC 25-0028 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-09-25 | Affirmed | Zhu v. honeywell/honeywell |
| 1 CA-CV 26-0074 FC | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-09-23 | Affirmed | Medina v. Riyahi |
| 1 CA-CR 25-0508 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-09-23 | Affirmed | State v. Taylor |
| 1 CA-CV 26-0085 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-09-21 | Affirmed | SHOLI v. STATE |
| 1 CA-SA 25-0338 | Ariz. Ct. App. Div. 1 | 2026-09-18 | — | Kuerschner v. Kuerschner |