Arizona Superior Court in Pima County
Thursday, August 19, 2021 by Superior Court
Pima County Presiding Judge Jeffrey T. Bergin and Juvenile Court Presiding Judge Peter W. Hochuli are pleased to announce the appointment of Bunkye Chi Olson as a Superior Court Commissioner. She will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Dean Christoffel.
A deputy county attorney with the Pima County Attorney’s Office, Olson joined their ranks as a law clerk in 1997. Upon graduation from the University of Arizona’s College of Law, she became a prosecutor assigned to PCAO’s misdemeanor crimes division and transitioned to its felony unit in September 2001.
Olson was selected for PCAO’s Special Victims Unit in early 2003, where she specialized in crimes against children. Subsequently, she took two turns in PCAO’s juvenile division, first from 2010 through 2012 and again in 2014 until the spring of 2021.
During her tenure, Olson has been a guest speaker on prosecutorial ethics in sexual abuse cases at the James E. Rogers College of Law. Additionally, she has conducted numerous in-house trainings for her colleagues, addressing such issues as mandatory reporting in child abuse cases, the Victims’ Bill of Rights, and basic forensic interviewing.
Olson has participated in numerous youth mentoring organizations such as Pima County’s Courts Are Us summer youth internship program, Lawyer’s for Literacy, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters Mentor 2.0 program. She has also been an enthusiastic mock trial advisor, working both as a coach and a judge. Additionally, Olson is a member of Arizona Law’s Board of Visitors, through which she provides learning and service opportunities to Arizona Law students.
Olson earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in English/Paralegal Studies from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
“Bunkye Chi Olson is a respected, experienced, and highly effective Pima County attorney,” said Pima County Presiding Judge Jeffrey Bergin. “The Court is excited that she will continue to serve Pima County, now from the bench as a superior court commissioner and pro tem judge. We look forward to having her join us.”