PHOENIX, October 17, 2026 — The Arizona Supreme Court unanimously approved Grand Canyon University’s new College of Law, allowing graduates to pursue state bar licensure immediately upon graduation while awaiting ABA accreditation.
The Court’s Constitutional Role in State Governance
The Arizona Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and six associate justices. Its jurisdiction is prescribed by Article VI, Section 5 of the Arizona Constitution. The chief justice supervises the administration of all inferior courts in the state. Justices are appointed by the governor from a list provided by a bipartisan commission. The court expanded from five to seven justices in 2016. A quorum of three is required for court business, but the full court must sit to declare a law unconstitutional. Voters rejected Proposition 137 in 2024, which would have changed justice terms to lifetime appointments.
Administrative Authority Over Legal Education and Licensure
In October 2026, the court granted unanimous approval for Grand Canyon University to open a new College of Law. This decision marks the first time the court has authorized a law school to operate outside of standard ABA accreditation timelines. GCU graduates will be eligible for state bar licensure immediately upon graduation, pending bar exam and character requirements. The court’s action aims to address a significant shortage of attorneys in Arizona communities. GCU, which plans to open its law school as early as 2027, said it will pursue ABA approval once eligible. GCU’s law school will become the third in the state, joining the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona.
The Balance Between Judicial Oversight and Institutional Innovation
Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer said the court is delighted to welcome GCU’s College of Law to Arizona’s legal community and optimistic it will provide excellent legal education and help meet the need for more lawyers. Dean James L. Williams said the approval is a historic moment for GCU, legal education in Arizona, and students seeking a Christian law school. GCU President Brian Mueller stated that integrating a Christian worldview and free-market principles creates a society encouraging individual initiative while recognizing responsibility to serve others. The approval establishes a pathway for graduates to pursue licensure while creating flexibility amid potential changes to the ABA’s role in legal education and federal accreditation policy.
Historical Context of the Court’s Expansion and Structure
The court started in 1912 with three justices. In 1949, it expanded from three to five justices. In 2016 it was further expanded from five to seven justices. Between February and April 2024, the Arizona Senate passed a resolution to change justice terms from six years to lifetime, which was sent to voters as Proposition 137 for the November 2024 election. Prop 137 was overwhelmingly rejected, with 77.7% of voters voting “no”. Justices stand for retention in an election two years after their appointment and then every six years. They must retire at age 70. The chief justice is chosen for a five-year term by the court and supervises the administration of all inferior courts. The vice chief justice acts as chief justice in the latter’s absence or incapacity. Justices are selected by a modified form of the Missouri Plan. A bipartisan commission considers applicants and sends a list of nominees to the governor. The governor is required by law to appoint from this list based on merit, without regard to party affiliation. If the justice wins the retention election, their term is six years. If the governor fails to appoint a nominee within sixty days, the chief justice makes the appointment.
Implications for Future Regulatory Frameworks in Arizona
The approval represents the first time the Arizona Supreme Court has granted this type of authorization to a law school. It creates new opportunities for students seeking a legal education and a career practicing law in Arizona. Most importantly for prospective students, graduates of GCU’s College of Law will be eligible to pursue admission to the State Bar of Arizona immediately upon graduation, provided they satisfy the state’s other licensing requirements, including passing the bar examination and meeting character, fitness and other standards. Historically, graduates seeking admission to practice law in Arizona have generally been required to earn their Juris Doctor degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), a multi-year process that does not begin until a law school has been in operation with its first class for at least one full year. GCU, which is looking to open its College of Law as early as 2027, will pursue ABA approval once it becomes eligible. The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision provides a separate pathway for GCU graduates while also creating flexibility amid potential changes to the ABA’s role in legal education and federal accreditation policy. The College of Law will build upon the educational philosophy that has helped make GCU the nation’s largest Christian university: the integration of a Christian worldview, free-market principles, academic excellence, affordability and a commitment to serving others. Its mission will be to prepare attorneys who are equipped to succeed professionally while recognizing their responsibility to uphold justice, protect individual liberties and serve the common good. Throughout history, the Christian worldview and free-market principles have been the most powerful forces for human flourishing, helping create the freedoms, opportunities and prosperity that have made America the greatest country in the world. Free markets unleash human ambition, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. The Christian worldview provides the moral foundation that reminds us those gifts are not simply for personal gain, but should also be used to love our neighbors, serve others and improve the communities in which we live. When those two principles work together, they create something remarkable: a society that encourages individual initiative and achievement while recognizing our responsibility to serve others.
Sources
- Arizona Supreme Court
- GCU to build Arizona’s third law school after state Supreme Court approval
- ARIZONA SUPREME COURT GRANTS HISTORIC APPROVAL FOR GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY'S NEW COLLEGE OF LAW
Photo: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America (CC BY-SA 2.0)
