“Some of my elementary and high school friends reminded me that when I was growing up in Mesa, I wanted to be a judge,” he said. Like they were treated differently. I’m a 6 1/2 foot tall, 300 lbs football player…so when I throw a desert party some of my friends get into trouble and ask me how the football season was. rice field. It seemed that discriminatory treatment was taking place. It sparked a lifelong interest in justice. ”

Three months ago, he quietly donned a judge’s robe for the first time in Coconino County (perhaps with a bolo tie to match) and began working to make his dreams come true. ‘s latest judge.

“I have been knocking on doors for a long time. was.

He was finally appointed this summer.

“I didn’t make much fanfare about it. I was hiding and trying to figure out how to do my job,” he said. It was kind of funny – they sent me to a judges meeting the next day. We had an interesting conversation. ”

Over the weekend, Harris celebrated his inauguration, the official ceremony that marks his elevation to the highest seat in the court. It was an opportunity to celebrate with his family, friends and colleagues he has known for decades, and it was also an opportunity for Harris to make his debut in the community, where he hoped to initiate dialogue.

“It gives people the chance to meet me and ask questions,” he said. “I’m really open to the giving and flow of information. I can’t speak to specific cases or specific cases, but I can speak to my judicial philosophy and what I think is important as a judge.”

Harris doesn’t have his own court yet. He is in an office called “The Dorm”. It comes with a mini-fridge and a space for him and his legal assistant to get to work. When he explained that he was heading to court for a lawsuit, he conjured up an image of Superman setting off to don the cloak.

He’s not shy about gesticulating at the endless pile of papers on his desk.

“I really call myself a pressure relief valve,” Harris said. He explained that the backlog of COVID and busy schedules could cause cases to pile up, but he understands that delays aren’t good for anyone. He said he is also putting pressure on the families involved. “My main goals are justice and fairness and speed.

When it comes to matters, he is not afraid to speak out about what he believes.

For a time, Harris worked in the city of Flagstaff, playing a role in advocating for alternative response programs aimed at diverting people from the criminal justice system and providing treatment that had been punishable in the past.

“Thousands of cases a year dealt with what we call a series of intoxication situations where people with drug use problems only ended up in the justice system because they had no other choice. It’s a waste of everyone’s time to criminalize mental health and criminalize drug use.Society is kind of turning against it,” Harris said.

Shortly before he became a judge, Harris helped get the CARE Unit off the ground. The EMT/Mental Health First Response team is on the road today for a “man down” call.

“One of the good things about doing criminal defense over the years is that 98% of my clients aren’t bad people. They were people who made bad choices. They did stupid things. Sometimes, They did stupid things over and over again, but they weren’t bad guys,” Harris said. “I’ve met some evil people in my 18 years, and I can count them on one hand. They’ll probably be with me for the rest of my life. Everyone else? Bad.” They’re really good people in situations and in tough situations.Thankfully I’m not dealing with a criminal case right now.”

In his current duties, Harris primarily presides over divorce court and family law cases. He still encourages litigants to reach resolutions out of court, preferring to refer to alternative resources when necessary. He has been through a divorce, and that life experience made him more sympathetic to elements of his judicial philosophy.

“I don’t want a divorce from my worst enemy. I’m just trying to really remind you to think about what’s best for your kids in the short and long term.4 times a day, 5 days a week.I know you’re mad And as hard as this is, keep the kids front and center.”

Taking care of children is also a central part of what defines Harris, one of the reasons Harris applied for the position currently occupied by Angela Kircher, who works in the juvenile department, before taking her current job. maybe one.

“[As a lawyer] I (Child Protective Services) have handled cases where I have been appointed as a representative for parents or children who have been removed from their homes, many in very dire circumstances. It was really hard for a 26 or he 28 year old man to think of himself as a rugby player representing kids in such a terrible situation,” Harris explained. “I have worked on numerous juvenile delinquency cases where many children have one or both parents in prison. The only adult male role models they had were gang members…that was They had a program called the Step Up Program at the juvenile detention center where they got the kids involved in rugby, gave them a positive outlook and put all that energy into it. I do things related to it.”

Harris has served multiple times as president of the Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter. Today, he still volunteers at non-profit events and is a strong believer in the value of mentorship and appropriate adult relationships for children in difficult situations.

One of the things he gave up was rugby.

“I had too many injuries and bloodshot eyes and broken fingers made it difficult for me to stand on the court, so I had to quit rugby, so I switched to the Highland Games where I had less concussions. I work out,” he said with a laugh.

He spent his 14-year rugby career with his hometown Landsharks.

That journey, which began with a rather persistent suggestion from my former boss at the law firm (now run by Rep. Anne Kirkpatrick), is now over. Prior to taking office, Harris will be able to submit his achievements in sports, along with other highlights of his life and career.

Harris has worked as a realtor, non-profit leader, and attorney. He drove miles on Arizona highways in his Toyota Camry and moved from court to court in northern Arizona as a defense attorney. He was a public defender for the City of Cottonwood and ran a law firm specializing in guardianship, estate planning and guardianship. After the birth of his daughter, he chose to reach out as a public prosecutor for a while.

“After 11 years of criminal defense, I became a public prosecutor. I was.

A towering figure, Harris said he couldn’t be happier about raising his children in the shadow of towering ponderosa pines. , hopes it will be an opportunity to inform the “wider circle” of his thoughts, influence policy changes, and live in a place he loves.

“I always call it Wonderland. We live in Wonderland and autumn in Wonderland is as good as spring and summer,” he said. I am very grateful to be able to raise