Arizona Supreme Court Justice Robert Brutinel has announced his retirement effective October 31, ending his nearly 30-year judicial career. Appointed in 2010 by then-Gov. Jan Brewer, Brutinel served as Chief Justice from 2019 until recently. His retirement opens a vacancy that Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs will fill, potentially allowing her to appoint up to three justices to the court. This comes amid efforts to retain justices Clint Bolick and Kathryn King, who face retain-or-reject elections in November. Hobbs' appointees will be selected from a list provided by a special panel. Chief Justice Ann Timmer lauded Brutinel's service, especially his leadership during the pandemic.