Hon. Suzanne Nicholls is a judge for the Maricopa County Superior Court in Arizona. She was appointed to the bench by Governor Doug Ducey on April 24, 2020.
During her judicial tenure, Nicholls has held an assignment in the Family Court.
Prior to joining the bench, she was a deputy public advocate with the Maricopa County Office of the Public Advocate (2015 to 2020). As such, Nicholls was tasked with representing parents and families in dependency actions involving the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
Before that, Nicholls was an assistant attorney general with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. During her first stint there, she held an assignment in the Criminal Appeals Division (2009 to 2012) and later served in the Child and Family Protection Division (2014 to 2015).
In between her positions there, she practiced as an associate at Byrne & Benesch, PC (2012 to 2014). At the firm, Nicholls handled real estate, business, estate planning, employment, and public agency law matters. She had also previously practiced as an associate at Kunz, Plitt, Demlong & Kleifield (2008 to 2009), where her practice included insurance defense.
She received a B.S.B.A. in accounting from Arizona State University in 2000. Nicholls went on to complete a J.D. at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2008. While a law student, she spent time as a law clerk with the California Attorney General’s Office (2007), a judicial extern to the Hon. Donn Kessler with the Arizona Court of Appeals (2007), a law clerk in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office (2007), and a law clerk to the Hon. Andrew W. Gould with the Yuma County Superior Court (2006).
She was admitted to practice in California (2008) and Arizona (2009).
Her memberships have included the American Bar Association, the Arizona Women Lawyers Association, the Thurgood Marshall Inn of Court, the Yuma County Bar Association, and the Maricopa County Superior Court’s Mediation Workgroup (Juvenile Division).
Nicholls also spent time as an attorney panelist for the Court Ordered Dependent Youth Program through CASA of Maricopa County and the Helping Other Parents Engage Class through Parents for Parents.
From a civic standpoint, she has sat on the Board of Directors for Operation Freedom Bird, a nonprofit organization that assists combat veterans suffering from PTSD.
In addition, Nicholls also served as a volunteer judge for the Arizona State University Moot Court competitions, was a member of the Yuma Rotary Group, and a report writer for the South West Arizona Town Hall and a report writer and recorder for the Arizona Town Hall.
She received the Real Women of Chandler’s Award from Chandler Lifestyle Magazine (2017) and the Arizona Public Defender Association Outstanding Performance Award (2017).
