PHX Reporter

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has announced the appointments of Jillian Francis, Charlene Jackson, James Knapp and Sunita Krishna to the Maricopa County Superior Court. 

The appointments were made to fill vacancies created by the resignation of Judge James Smith and the retirements of judges Margaret Mahoney, David Cunanan and Sally Duncan, a recent news release from the governor's office said.

Francis is an assistant attorney general with the State, having served the attorneys general in a variety of roles since 2014, the release stated. She now works in the Solicitor General’s Office on election matters and "other high-profile litigation."

“Jillian’s career has been devoted to selfless service,” Ducey said. “It’s my honor to appoint her to the Maricopa County Superior Court.”

Jackson practices through her firm, the Jackson Law Firm, and her practice focuses on working with tribes and tribal organizations, the release said. She has represented tribes in cases involving issues such as gaming, human resources and employment law, contract review, policy development and business reorganization. Jackson has been admitted to practice law in Arizona, the federal District Court of Arizona, the Ak-Chin Indian Community and the Tohono O’odham Nation.

“Both as a solo practitioner and as a judge, Charlene has worked tirelessly to help improve her community,” Ducey said. “It’s clear that she will be a great addition to the Maricopa County Superior Court.”

Knapp is an assistant U.S. attorney, having worked for the Arizona District since 2006. He was section chief of Financial Crimes from August 2019 to February 2022, during which time he supervised a team of 10 tasked with overseeing federal criminal investigations and prosecuting fraud, money laundering, tax offenses and other cybercrimes.

“Jim’s work has had a positive impact throughout his community and even the world, and I am certain he’ll have that same impact on the Maricopa County Superior Court,” Ducey said.

Krishna is an assistant attorney general with the State office. Her cases involve healthcare professionals who have been implicated in misconduct charges such as sexual assault, theft, diversion of narcotics from healthcare facilities and practicing below the standard of care. She has also handled special actions filed in superior court and has argued before the Arizona Court of Appeals.

“Sunita has a huge range of experience from civil litigation to administrative law," Ducey said. "All of this experience makes her an excellent addition to the Maricopa County Superior Court."