Yuma attorney to fill Superior Court vacancy
Gov. Doug Ducey announced on Tuesday that Yuma attorney Brandon Kinsey has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the Yuma County Superior Court.
Kinsey practices civil litigation and business law at the firm of Garcia, Kinsey & Villarreal, P.L.C.. for which he is a founding partner. In addition to his law practice, he served as President of the Arizona Western College Foundation Board of Directors, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Yuma Community Food Bank.
“Brandon has a reputation in Yuma County for professionalism and community service. His work with the Yuma Community Food Bank and Arizona Western College, while also maintaining a busy law practice is remarkable,” said Ducey. “His dedication to the citizens of Yuma County and to the practice of law will make him an excellent Superior Court judge.”
Kinsey graduated from Brigham Young University, Marriott School of Management in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. He received his law degree from Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School in 2006.
While he will miss working in private practice with his partners, Kinsey said he is looking forward to the challenges ahead. He is scheduled to assume his bench seat on July 31.
“I’m just honored in the trust the governor has placed in me to serve the people of Yuma County,” Kinsey said. “I plan to serve in the position for a very long time.”
He was one of four candidates interviewed last month by members of Gov. Doug Ducey’s executive staff at the Historic Yuma Courthouse.
During their interviews, each of the candidates was asked a series of eight questions, two of which were hypothetical, including why did they want to become a judge?
Kinsey, in response to a question he was asked, said while Yuma County has many quality judges, his concern with past appointments is that they have all been judges with extensive backgrounds in criminal law.
“It would be beneficial to the community to have a judge who has civil litigation experience. I could help the litigants in Yuma County,” Kinsey said at the time. “I understand that I will be a fish out of water a little bit when it comes to criminal cases, but I know I can rely on the other judges, who do have that experience, and be able to learn from them.”
Kinsey practices regularly in the Superior and Justice Courts of Yuma County, and has represented clients before the Arizona Supreme Court, Arizona Court of Appeals, and the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona.
His primary focus in his practice has been business formation, contract preparation and negotiation, real estate law, estate and succession planning, creditor’s rights, litigation, and foreclosures.
In addition to estate planning, Kinsey also does a significant amount of estate planning and estate litigation for non business clients. He also practices in the areas of personal injury and landlord and tenant law.
Kinsey’s appointment was made to fill a vacancy on the Yuma County Superior Court, which was created by the appointment of Judge Maria Elena Cruz to the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One.