Special Meeting for Chief Presiding Judge Interviews - May 12, 2026

On May 12, 2026, the Phoenix City Council held a special meeting to interview three finalists for the position of Chief Presiding Judge of the Phoenix Municipal Court. The council interviewed each candidate for up to 45 minutes, followed by public comments and an executive session. The meeting concluded with a unanimous vote to appoint a candidate (name not publicly disclosed in the transcript).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Valerie Boyer Wells spoke in support of Judge Michelle Lu Sang, citing her intellect, integrity, and leadership experience, including her role in transitioning Mesa Court to electronic files.
• Adriana Jenko (Assistant U.S. Attorney, President of Los Abogados Foundation) spoke in support of Judge Wilbur Hudson, emphasizing his breadth of experience, community involvement, and ability to foster trust.
• Terry Marks spoke in support of Judge Hudson, highlighting his integrity, community presence, and long-standing service.
• Joshua Fisher (shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy) spoke in support of Judge Tina Solomon, praising her diligence and deep ties to the Phoenix court system.
• Chris McBride spoke in support of Judge Hudson, recalling his work with indigent clients and specialty courts, including the first veterans stand down.
• Alicia Skupin (Presiding Judge, Chandler Municipal Court) spoke in support of Judge Lu Sang, citing her experience as a presiding judge in Apache Junction, her leadership in transitioning to electronic files, and her relationships with the Arizona Supreme Court.
• Chuck Whitehead spoke in support of Judge Hudson, noting his mentorship and leadership among judges.

Discussion Items

Candidate Interviews:

• Judge Wilbur Hudson – Approximately 30 years of experience with the Phoenix court system as a public defender, prosecutor, private attorney, and judge. Currently presides over Veterans Court, which has served over 3,000 veterans with 1,500 graduations. He emphasized procedural justice, leading by example, and community outreach. He identified budget, accessibility (expanding court hours), and technology (virtual hearings, electronic filing) as key challenges. He supports expanding specialty courts and using data to track recidivism.
• Judge Michelle Lu Sang – 28 years of judicial experience, currently on the Chandler Municipal Court bench. Previously a Mesa judge and chaired the AJC committee on leadership and workforce excellence. She stressed commitment to justice, rule of law, and treating court users with respect. Her biggest challenge identified was transitioning to digital files. She supports virtual hearings to reduce failure-to-appear rates and emphasized community trust and specialty court evaluation through recidivism.
• Judge Tina Solomon – Phoenix Municipal Court judge since 2018, previously a prosecutor for 19 years. Presides over an in-custody docket with many domestic violence cases. She emphasized the golden rule, procedural justice, and leading by example. Her pressing issues include the court management system (CMS) project and photo safety. She proposes a domestic violence specialty court and improved training. She supports virtual hearings selectively, noting in-person hearings promote compliance.

Key Outcomes

• The council voted unanimously to enter executive session to discuss the personnel matter.
• Following executive session, the council returned and voted unanimously to appoint a candidate. The transcript does not specify who was appointed, but the meeting was adjourned with congratulations.