Judge Melissa Julian has received the Judicial Excellence Award from the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel and the Arizona Association for Justice. The award was presented at a joint holiday reception held at the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club. This recognition is given to judges who demonstrate high standards of integrity and professionalism.
Presiding Judge Pamela Gates commented on the honor, stating, “Judge Julian is an extraordinary member of our bench. Her dedication to justice, her thoughtful leadership, and commitment to the people we serve make her truly deserving of this honor. We are proud to see her recognized with such a distinguished award.”
Judge Julian has served on the bench since 2019 and currently oversees cases in the Civil Department. She has also worked in the Family department.
In response to receiving the award, Judge Julian said, “There really are no words for how honored I am by this recognition because it comes from both sides of my courtroom (plaintiffs’ and defendants’ lawyers) and it is always my goal to decide each motion and issue before me based on its individual merit rather than because it is favorable to one side or the other. To have their recognition is something I will always treasure and I only hope I can continue to be worthy of their trust in me.”
Before her appointment as judge, Julian was an attorney and partner at Burch & Cacchiolo from 2012 to 2019, having previously worked as an associate at the same firm from 2006 to 2012. She also served as Judge Pro Tem at Maricopa County Superior Court between 2015 and 2019.
Julian holds a Juris Doctorate from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law (2006) and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southwestern University.
