2026 Arizona General Election

Howard Grodman

Buket Urgen

L35: Public Policy Priorities Fair, prompt justice for all who appear in criminal and civil cases, with an eye to what’s best for the community, victims, and parties.
L36: Qualifications and Experience J.D University of Michigan Law School class of 1983, practicing lawyer for 26 years, followed by 15 years as Flagstaff Justice of the Peace.
L38: Memberships & Affiliations Arizona State Bar

Coconino County Flagstaff Justice of the Peace — VOTE411 Voter Guide. Additional information available on VOTE411.org.

Howard Grodman earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1983.

Prior to taking the bench in 2011, Judge Grodman was a practicing lawyer for 27 years in Michigan and Arizona. Additionally, he was a juvenile Judge pro tem in Maricopa County and a Phoenix Municipal Court Judge pro tem. He also mediated civil and family law disputes for the Coconino County Superior Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, and he taught business law and ethics at the Franke College of Business at Northern Arizona University.

Judge Bios | Coconino

Howard previously practiced law in Michigan and Arizona, mediated civil and family law disputes for the Coconino County Superior Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, and taught business law and ethics at Northern Arizona University’s Franke College of Business.

Flagstaff Justice Court - Coconino.az.gov

## Hon. Howard Grodman
Judge Grodman was elected Justice of the Peace for the Flagstaff Justice Court and took office in January 2011.
As Justice of the Peace Judge Grodman hears and decides civil lawsuits where the amount in controversy is less than $10,000 including small claims cases up to $2,500 (up to $3,500 beginning January, 2014), landlord-tenant disputes, orders of protection and injunctions against harassment, the traffic and criminal misdemeanors cases cited by all the law enforcement agencies other than the Flagstaff Police, and the preliminary stages of all of the felonies.

Howard was elected Justice of the Peace for the Flagstaff Justice Court and took office in January 2011.

Served as Flagstaff Justice of the Peace after taking office in January 2011.

Practiced law for 27 years in Michigan and Arizona before taking the bench in 2011.

Served as a temporary juvenile judge in Maricopa County.

Served as a temporary judge in Phoenix Municipal Court.

Mediated civil and family-law disputes for Coconino County Superior Court's Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.

- Served as Flagstaff Justice of the Peace after taking office in January 2011.
- Practiced law for 27 years in Michigan and Arizona before taking the bench in 2011.
- Served as a temporary juvenile judge in Maricopa County.
- Served as a temporary judge in Phoenix Municipal Court.
- Mediated civil and family-law disputes for Coconino County Superior Court's Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.

Legal Experience

Said investigative reporting has a legitimate purpose when dismissing an injunction.

"There is certainly a legitimate purpose in investigative reporting, so I’m going to dismiss the injunction," said Flagstaff Justice Court Justice of the Peace Howard Grodman, when he issued his ruling on the case.

Judge dismisses restraining order granted to Wendy Rogers against Arizona journalist

Judicial Philosophy

L33: Campaign Email judgegrodman@gmail.com
L34: 
L35: Public Policy Priorities Fair, prompt justice for all who appear in criminal and civil cases, with an eye to what’s best for the community, victims, and parties.
L36: Qualifications and Experience J.D University of Michigan Law School class of 1983, practicing lawyer for 26 years, followed by 15 years as Flagstaff Justice of the Peace.

Program Type: Combined Deferred Prosecution and Post-Conviction   
 
Program Description
In 2012, Judge Howard Grodman approached the county attorney’s office, public defender’s office, and local mental health treatment provider agencies, The Guidance Center and Southwest Behavioral Health, to ascertain the degree of interest in a new mental health court program.
With the support of these agencies, as well as Coconino County Superior Court, adult probation department, police department, Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authority (NARBHA), and the Coconino County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, the Coconino County Mental Health Court Program was established in May 2012.

AZCourts.gov > Mental Health > Treatment Courts > Mental Health Court Summaries

Prioritizes fair and prompt justice in criminal and civil cases, considering the community, victims, and parties.

Approached local justice and behavioral-health agencies about creating a mental health court program.

- Prioritizes fair and prompt justice in criminal and civil cases, considering the community, victims, and parties.
- Approached local justice and behavioral-health agencies about creating a mental health court program.

Judicial Administration

Suspended without pay for 90 days by the Arizona Supreme Court following a disciplinary recommendation concerning 2014 campaign conduct; acknowledged that many acts were poor decisions.

A Flagstaff judge will serve an unpaid 90-day suspension after the Arizona Supreme Court adopted a judicial disciplinary panel's recommendation. The panel had recommended that Justice of the Peace Howard Grodman be suspended for using government resources in his 2014 re-election bid, campaigning on government property and confronting a court employee who supported his opponent.

Supreme Court suspends Flagstaff judge for 90 days

Grodman acknowledged many of the acts and called them poor decisions that he is sorry about making. The high court suspended him with pay on Sept. 10 while the justices considered the recommendation.

Ethics & Conduct

As of October 19, 2026, Howard Grodman’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Community Involvement

- The justice of the peace presides over justice courts in each county. The number of justice courts in a county depends on its population. 
- A justice of the peace hears lawsuits, presides over misdemeanor cases, and hears civil and criminal traffic violations. Some examples of cases they might handle include eviction actions, DUIs (driving under the influence), and shoplifting. 
- Justices of the peace are elected in staggered elections for four-year terms. These elections are partisan. 
- Their salary depends on their judicial productivity, in other words, how many cases they see each year and equals, on average, $115,290.
- Some justices of the peace may be an attorney, but this is not a requirement for the role. 

Local judge who hears lawsuits, misdemeanors, and civil cases. 