Rebecca White Berch
Encyclopedia
Rebecca White Berch is a justice on the Arizona Supreme Court
. On July 1, 2009, she began a five-year term as the court's Chief Justice
, a position to which she was elected by her peers on the court. As chief justice, she succeeds Ruth McGregor
. Berch has been a justice of the state's highest court since March 2002, when she was appointed to the court by Republican
governor Jane Dee Hull
.
from Arizona State University
.
, from 1991-1994, as Special Counsel to the Arizona Attorney General from 1995-1996 and as First Assistant Arizona Attorney General from 1996-1998.
Justice Berch joined the bench as a Judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals
, Division I, from April 1998- March 2002. She served as a justice on the Arizona Supreme Court in April 2002 - June 2005 before becoming Vice Chief Justice in June 2005.
Arizona Supreme Court
The Arizona Supreme Court is the state supreme court of the U.S. state of Arizona. It consists of a Chief Justice, a Vice Chief Justice, and three associate justices. Each justice is appointed by the governor of Arizona from a list recommended by a bipartisan commission. Justices stand for...
. On July 1, 2009, she began a five-year term as the court's Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
, a position to which she was elected by her peers on the court. As chief justice, she succeeds Ruth McGregor
Ruth McGregor
Ruth V. McGregor is a former justice of the Arizona Supreme Court.McGregor was a justice of the state's highest court from 1998, when she was appointed to the court by Republican Governor Jane Dee Hull until her retirement in 2009. She was retained in 2000 and 2006. She served a term as Chief...
. Berch has been a justice of the state's highest court since March 2002, when she was appointed to the court by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
governor Jane Dee Hull
Jane Dee Hull
Jane Dee Hull was the second woman to serve as Governor of Arizona, the first female Republican governor of the state, and the first woman to be elected to the position.-Biography:...
.
Education
Justice Berch earned her B.S. (1976), M.A. (1990) and J.D.Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
.
Professional career
Justice Berch began her career as an Associate and Partner with the firm McGroder, Tryon, Heller, Rayes & Berch, 1979-1985 before serving as Director, Legal Writing Program, Arizona State University College of Law, from 1986-1991, and 1994-1995. She served as Solicitor General for the State of ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, from 1991-1994, as Special Counsel to the Arizona Attorney General from 1995-1996 and as First Assistant Arizona Attorney General from 1996-1998.
Justice Berch joined the bench as a Judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals
Arizona Court of Appeals
The Arizona Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court for the State of Arizona. It is divided into two divisions, with a total of twenty-two judges on the court: sixteen in Division One, based in Phoenix, and six in Division Two, based in Tucson....
, Division I, from April 1998- March 2002. She served as a justice on the Arizona Supreme Court in April 2002 - June 2005 before becoming Vice Chief Justice in June 2005.
Awards
- 2003 Rebecca White Berch Pro Bono Suite, Arizona State University College of Law
- 2002 Distinguished Achievement Award, Arizona State University College of Law
- 2002 Outstanding Alumnus, Arizona State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- 2002 Professional Achievement and Contributions Award, Arizona Women Lawyers' Association
- 1999-2000 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award, Arizona State University College of Law
- 1998 General Appreciation Award, National Association of Attorneys
- 1998 Outstanding Service Award, Arizona Attorney General's Office
- 1994 Distinguished Service Award, Arizona State University College of Law
- 1992 Outstanding Attorney of the Year, Arizona Attorney General's Office
- 1992 Outstanding Service Award, Arizona Attorney General’s Office
Associations
- Chair, Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments
- Board of Directors, US Conference of Chief Justices
- Former Chair, Commission on Technology
- Former Chair, Maricopa County Trial Court Appointments
- Member, Commission on Judicial Conduct
- Member, Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee
- Board of Trustees, National Conference of Bar Examiners