Arizona Superior Court in Pima County
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 by Arizona Superior Court in Pima County
Pima County Presiding Judge Jeffrey T. Bergin is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Cohen Metzger as a Hearing Officer for the Arizona Superior Court in Pima County. She will fill the vacancy in Division TO created by the recent retirement of Hon. Lee Ann Roads.
Said Judge Bergin, “The Superior Court is happy that Michelle Metzger will be joining the Court. Michelle has impressive credentials and a stellar reputation in the legal community. We look forward to working with her and are confident she will continue to honorably serve Pima County as a member of the Court."
Metzger, a dedicated public servant, has been handling serious criminal defense matters as a trial attorney for the Office of the Pima County Legal Defender for more than 14 years. Metzger has also served, since its inception, as their office’s coordinator and liaison with the Pima County Attorney’s Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison program, advocating for public defense clients’ acceptance into the DTAP system.
Earning her Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from the University of Arizona in 2003, Metzger obtained her Juris Doctor in 2008 from the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law. While attending law school, Metzger was a Volunteer Lawyers Program Student of the Month, an intern at both Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Executive Office of Immigration Review, and a volunteer at UA’s Immigration Law Clinic.
Too, Metzger’s background includes various legal-based volunteer positions, including pro bono work in family, immigration, and education law, assisting in landlord/tenant disputes, and providing indigent defense services. Her volunteerism has also incorporated years of assistance to the Rights Restoration Legal Clinic, and years of service to Casa Maria Soup Kitchen, providing limited legal services and compassionate care to Pima County’s community members who are homeless, hungry, and in need of support.
In addition, Metzger was a Tumamoc Steward, answering questions and assisting hundreds of walkers who tackle that locally famous slope, while helping care for its fragile cultural land.
Metzger is a member of Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice and Arizona Public Defenders Association and leads various legal education programs, including new attorney trial colleges presented by Pima County Public Defense Services. She has also supported UA students through her occasional instruction at the College of Law.
Metzger will join the Superior Court bench on August 28, 2023.