SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) – Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Brutinell and Deputy Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer will spend half of Thursday in Cochise as part of a statewide tour to meet with local judges. Spent time in the county.

When Brutinelle took over as chief five years ago, he began touring the state to keep communication open with counties. He is currently taking Mr Timmer to meet local residents before Mr Timmer takes over in June.

“As we transition, it's a good idea to have a good understanding of what worked, what didn't work, and what needs to happen,” Timmer said. The court system is different. ”

The two met with local judges in the morning to discuss what they accomplished during Brutinel's tenure and what help and resources are needed going forward.

“Arizona has built a national and even international reputation as a judicial system that is progressive and willing to try new things to make our justice system work better,” Brutinel said. .

He said the court has worked to make justice more accessible to people in the state, reforming the jury system and how the court responds to people with mental health needs.

“A lot of things are going well in Cochise County,” Brutinelle said. “They work very hard. They care about the community very much. I think they serve the county very well.”

Brutinell and Timmer held a roundtable discussion Thursday afternoon with community leaders from across the county and local judges.

Law enforcement agencies in the chamber shared concerns over the influx of cases due to increased activity in human smuggling. They also shared concerns about the limited resources available to support mental health resources and treatment centers for those who need them. Both the chief and deputy chief were surprised to hear their concerns, but acknowledged more could be done on both topics.

In his five years as chief, Brutinelle said he and his team have accomplished 99 percent of their strategic planning efforts. Timmer feels there is more to build on from the growth to date.

“Ensuring people have access to civil justice has to be the first goal. I have elevated things like public awareness and public trust in the judiciary to second goal,” she said. Ta.

She believes it is important to restore public trust in the courts, as some people have lost faith in the judicial system in recent years.

Timmer believes visits like Thursday's will help her learn more about the different needs of different counties.

“I have been in the justice system for 23 years and thought I knew a fair amount about what was going on, but so far I have learned so much about the many programs and good work people are doing in the community. I'm very impressed,” she said.