The Honorable Ronald Reinstein

In 1990, Arizona amended its Constitution and adopted a strong Victim’s Bill of Rights. Although many people played an important role in enforcing the Bill, no single person in the judiciary was more essential than Judge Ronald Reinstein. For more than 20 years, Judge Reinstein has been at the forefront of ensuring that crime victims’ voices are heard in the courtroom. 

Judge Reinstein has been a strong proponent of improving the judiciary by educating new judges on victims’ rights, organizing victims’ rights workshops at the state judicial conference, and regularly attending the annual National Crime Victims’ Rights Week events in his community; he has encouraged other judges, in particular the Arizona Supreme Court Justices, to attend these events. Judge Reinstein sets an extraordinary example for other judges with the message that it is acceptable to support victims and be a fair jurist. 

While serving as a member of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on Superior Court, and as a Maricopa County Criminal Presiding Judge, Judge Reinstein established an ad hoc committee of various representatives to review, modify, and develop a more understandable and effective restitution process for Maricopa County to ensure that victims receive prompt restitution. 

The common thread throughout Judge Reinstein’s work has been his continued focus on and commitment to victims of crime. He never forgets that crime victims have a vital interest and an indispensible role in the criminal justice process, and he weaves the rights and needs of victims into every endeavour he undertakes. 

After 22 years on the bench, Judge Reinstein retired in 2007 as a Judge of the Superior Court of Arizona. He is Chair of the Supreme Court Commission on Victims in the Courts, Director of the Supreme Court Center for Evidence Based Sentencing, and currently works as a judicial consultant for the Arizona Supreme Court. Judge Reinstein was nominated by Dan Levey, Director of the Office of Victim Services at the Office of Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard.