Joseph P Mikitish

JOSEPH P. MIKITISH was appointed as a judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court in 2013. He has served on rotations in the family, criminal, and civil divisions of the Court and presided over numerous bench and jury trials. He currently serves as the presiding judge of Lower Court Appeals.

Joe has served the legal profession in various capacities. Prior to joining the bench, Joe practiced law for 21 years specializing in environmental and natural resources law. He has chaired the Environmental and Natural Resource Sections of both the Arizona State and Maricopa County Bar Associations. As a member of the bench he has served on the State Bar Committee on Persons with Disabilities in the Legal Profession, the Bar Leadership Institute Selection Panel, and the Arizona Supreme Court Fair Justice Task Force Subcommittee on Mental Health.

Joe has also worked with many extraordinary community organizations. He has been an officer and board member of Maggie's Place, a nonprofit that provides homes and support for homeless pregnant woman; Ability 360, an organization that provides advocacy, programs, and services for people with disabilities; and the St. Thomas More Society, an organization in which legal professionals share and promote faith and ethics.

Joe is a frequent speaker and author on many topics. Raised in Tucson, he received his Bachelor of Science (1988) and Juris Doctorate (1991) from the University of Arizona. He cheered on the Wildcats to their national basketball championships in 1997 and 2024! He is married to the love of his life Jennifer and is blessed with eight incredible children: three in heaven and five on earth.