Maria Elena Cruz
Education and employment
Justice Cruz has served on the bench since 2005 and is the first justice of Latina and African descent to serve on the state’s highest court. Prior to her appointment to the Arizona Supreme Court, she served as a judge on the Cocopah Tribal Court, Yuma County Superior Court, and Arizona Court of Appeals. Justice Cruz obtained her J.D. from the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law and has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona. She began her practice of law as a prosecutor in Arizona at the Yuma County Attorney’s Office, prosecuting felony offenders. Later, she practiced in criminal defense, eventually venturing into solo practice.
Judicial record
1144 opinions where Maria Elena Cruz sat on the panel, spanning 2017–2026.
By court
By disposition
Panel votes per year
How Maria Elena Cruz's panel-seat count has shifted year by year. Overlaid with Samuel Anderson Thumma for comparison (drop the overlay).
- Maria Elena Cruz
- Samuel Anderson Thumma
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).
- Lawrence F. Winthrop 235 shared 234 aligned 1 split compare
- Randall M. Howe 161 shared 161 aligned compare
- James B. Morse Jr. 153 shared 152 aligned 1 partial compare
- Paul J. McMurdie 144 shared 144 aligned compare
- Diane M. Johnsen 143 shared 143 aligned compare
- Samuel Anderson Thumma 140 shared 140 aligned compare
- Jennifer M. Perkins 132 shared 132 aligned compare
- Michael J. Brown 130 shared 129 aligned 1 split compare
- Cynthia J. Bailey 106 shared 105 aligned 1 split compare
- Peter B. Swann 105 shared 105 aligned compare
Recent opinions
15 most recent opinions where Maria Elena Cruz sat on the panel.
| Docket | Court | Filed | Disposition | Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CV-25-0143-PR | Ariz. | 2026-10-28 | Reversed in part and remanded | BURKETT v. DRYJA |
| CV-25-0309-PR | Ariz. | 2026-10-28 | Affirmed | Macdonald v. Macdonald |
| CR-26-0026-PR | Ariz. | 2026-10-26 | Vacated | ROBBINS v. STATE OF ARIZONA |
| CV-26-0106-CQ | Ariz. | 2026-10-09 | — | BLUNT v. TOWN OF GILBERT |
| CV-25-0317-PR | Ariz. | 2026-09-24 | Affirmed | Joseph Terborg v. Town of Payson |
| CV-25-0020-PR | Ariz. | 2026-09-18 | Reversed and remanded | Abraham v. Arizona Board of Regents |
| CV-25-0233-SA | Ariz. | 2026-09-14 | — | Tyler Strang v. malay/hernandez |
| CV-25-0330-CQ | Ariz. | 2026-09-01 | — | Industrial Park Center v. Great Northern Insurance |
| CV-25-0173-PR | Ariz. | 2026-09-01 | Affirmed | In Re Term of Parental Rights as to M.P. |
| CV-25-0176-PR | Ariz. | 2026-08-24 | Reversed and remanded | Aller v. State |
| CV-25-0119-PR | Ariz. | 2026-08-21 | Vacated and remanded | AROJOJOYE v. ALLEN |
| CV-25-0157-PR | Ariz. | 2026-08-18 | Vacated in part and remanded | Williams v. ades/lamont |
| CR-25-0211-PR | Ariz. | 2026-08-18 | Affirmed | State of Arizona v. Diondra Sharrelle Howard |
| CR-25-0157-PR | Ariz. | 2026-08-12 | Affirmed | Mario Rodriguez-Ramirez v. State of Arizona |
| CV-25-0213-PR | Ariz. | 2026-07-30 | Affirmed | DOE v. THE CORPORATION |