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Douglas Rayes
2024 - Present
1
Douglas Rayes is a federal judge on senior status with the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. On September 19, 2013, he was nominated by President Barack Obama to a position on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.[1][2] The Senate confirmed Rayes on May 15, 2014, on a vote of 77-19.[3][4]
Prior to joining the federal bench, he was a civil court judge (Phoenix Division/Tax Court) for the Maricopa County Superior Court in Arizona. [5]
Education
Rayes earned his B.S., summa cum laude, from Arizona State University in 1975. He earned his J.D., cum laude, in 1978 from the Arizona State University School of Law.[6]
Professional career
- 2014-2024: Judge, United States District Court for the District of Arizona
- 2024-present: Senior judge
- 2000-2014: Judge, Maricopa County Superior Court, Arizona
- 2013-2014: Judge, Complex Civil
- 2010-2013: Presiding Criminal Judge
- 2008-2010: Associate Presiding Civil Judge / Complex Civil
- 2005-2008: Judge, Civil Special Assignment
- 2002-2005: Judge, Criminal
- 2000-2002: Judge, Family
- 1989-2000: Partner, Tryon, Heller & Rayes
- 1982-1989: Partner, McGroder, Tryon, Heller & Rayes
- 1979-1982: Judge Advocate General Corps, United States Army[6]
Judicial career
District of Arizona
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Douglas Rayes |
| Court: District of Arizona |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 238 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: September 19, 2013
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimous Well Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: January 28, 2014
|
| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: February 27, 2014
|
| Confirmed: May 15, 2014
|
| Vote: 77-19
|
On September 19, 2013, President Barack Obama (D) nominated Douglas Rayes to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. The seat was vacated by Frederick Martone, who took senior status on January 30, 2013. Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) said the following about the nomination:
| “ | The nominees to serve on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona have demonstrated devotion to public service and commitment to justice, and I believe they are uniquely qualified to address the legal issues facing our state... The recent judicial vacancies in Arizona have created an unsustainable situation for the Court and are a serious impediment to the administration of justice for the people of Arizona. The need to fill these vacancies is critical as the District of Arizona ranks as one of the top ten busiest district courts in the country.[2][7] | ” |
Rayes was Unanimously Well Qualified by the American Bar Association.[8]
Rayes' nomination was returned by the Senate on January 3, 2014, and he was renominated on January 6th by President Obama.[9]
Douglas Rayes had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 28, 2014.[10] The hearing came after Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) submitted his blue slip, which he had previously held on to.[11] On February 27, 2014, Rayes was reported to the full Senate by the Senate Judiciary Committee on a vote of 16-2. The United States Senate confirmed Rayes on May 15, 2014, on a vote of 77-19.[4]
Arizona Superior Court
From 2000 to 2014, Rayes was a judge on the Maricopa County Superior Court. He was appointed to the court by Governor Jane Dee Hull in 2000.[12]
2010 election
Rayes was retained with 62.85 percent of the vote in 2010.[13]
- Main article: Arizona judicial elections, 2010
Read his Judicial Performance Report here.
2006 election
Rayes was retained with 72.98 percent of the vote.[14]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2011: Judge of the Year by the American Board of Trial Advocates
Associations
- Charirman of the Judicial College of Arizona, Orientation Committee
- Instructor and Faculty member of new judge orientation training program
- Past Chairman of the Maricopa County Court Mental Health Committee
- Past Board Member of the Judicial College of Arizona
- Adjunct Professor at ASU College of Law
- Chairman of the Town of El Mirage Judicial Selection and Advisory Board
- Presenter CLE Courses, State Bar of Arizona
- Member of the Arizona Supreme Court Commission on Victims in the Courts
- City of Phoenix Judicial Selection Advisory Board
- Member of the Sandra Day O’Connor Inn of Court
- Maricopa County Superior Court Veterans’ Court Committee
- A member of the Court Leadership Institute of Arizona
- Co-Chairman of the Veterans’ Court for Maricopa County
See also
- United States District Court for the District of Arizona
- United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
- Maricopa County Superior Court, Arizona
- Arizona
External links
- Maricopa County Superior Court
- Arizona Judicial Branch website
- Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
Footnotes
- ↑ The Judicial Branch of Arizona: Maricopa County, "Maricopa Superior Court Judges," accessed May 16, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Arizona Central, "Obama nominates 4 Arizonans to fill U.S. District Court vacancies," September 19, 2013
- ↑ The Federal Judicial Center, "https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/rayes-douglas-leroy," accessed June 1, 2024
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 United States Senate, "On the Nomination (Confirmation Douglas L. Rayes, of Arizona, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Arizona)," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ The Judicial Branch of Arizona: Maricopa County, "Judge Rayes biography," archived May 16, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Superior Court of Maricopa County, "Judge Douglas Rayes," accessed September 23, 2013
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ ABA, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III JUDICIAL NOMINEES 113TH CONGRESS," September 25, 2013
- ↑ White House, "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate," January 7, 2014
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Committee hearing," January 28, 2014
- ↑ National Law Journal, "Joudicial Nominee Gets Confirmation Hearing After Two Years," January 24, 2014
- ↑ AZ Attorney Blog, "ABOTA Names Douglas Rayes Judge of the Year," December 9, 2011
- ↑ Maricopa County Recorder, "Unofficial Election Results November 2010"
- ↑ Maricopa County Elections, "November 2006 General Election Summary Report," accessed July 22, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the District of Arizona 2014-2024 |
Succeeded by Krissa Lanham |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominated | |||
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Arizona • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Arizona
State courts:
Arizona Supreme Court • Arizona Court of Appeals • Arizona Superior Court • Arizona Justice Courts • Arizona Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Arizona • Arizona judicial elections • Judicial selection in Arizona
