Kristi Youtsey Ruiz has announced her candidacy for re-election to her position as the Clerk
of the Superior Court for Pinal County. Ruiz is a Pinal County native having been born in Florence and raised in Eloy. Kristi attended Central Arizona College and graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. She currently has 18 years of government experience and strongly believes that her prior experience in the Judicial Branch for the Superior Court and Volunteer CASA services, the Executive Branch involving Human Resources, Health and Human Services which have contributed to her ability to successfully continue a career in Public Office in Pinal County. This would be her second term as Clerk of the Superior Court. Click here to visit her website.
The Clerk of the Superior Court is an elected position established by the Arizona Constitution. The Clerk’s duties include administration of court records and exhibits an the collection and disbursement of court and statutory authorized funds.
The Clerk is responsible for office operations, personnel and aligning policies and procedures with new or ammended legislation and court rulings. In addition to these duties, Ruiz is also the appointed Jury Commissioner and Probate Registar in Pinal County.
The office of the Clerk of the Superior Court is located at the Pinal County Courthouse in Florence, with satalite offices in Casa Grande, Apache Junction and Mammoth.
During her first term in office, Ruiz was presented with the monumental task of preparing county records, dating back to the late 1800’s, for the move to the new courthouse without interruption of operations or service to the public. "Exercising exemplary team efforts, strategic planning, and commendable dedication by staff resulted in a seamless and successful move."
An additional first term priority for Ruiz was to improve customer service in the Clerk’s office. "Increased information on our website, including self help online forms and with the implementation of various in-house automated systems, we have improved efficiency and timeliness of document flow throughout the court system. This has been accomplished by enhancing operations through technological advances, streamlining processes and promoting increased communication among counterparts. Ruiz credits her staff with their invaluable assistance in this endeavor.
In addition to her past accomplishments, Ruiz has partnered with Superior Court Clerks in statewide standardization projects. She is currently in the final stages of implementing the electronic transfer of documents to the Court of Appeals.
Kristi is currently a member of the Arizona Superior Court Clerks Association; the Arizona Association of Counties; National Association of Counties; Arizona Courts Association; Arizona Family Support Council; National Association for Court Management; Pinal County Domestic Violence Task Force Committee; Pinal County Justice Integration Committee; NAACP; National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials; Council on Judicial Education and Training(COJET). She is currently enrolled in the Institute of Court Management with the National Center of State Courts.
Ruiz feels a strong dedication to the communities and has participated in many community outreach efforts assisting families. "There is no greater feeling than giving back to the communities, especially in a time of need," said Ruiz expressing her belief that it is important to remain connected and involved in the communities.
"It has been a privilege to represent the people while joining efforts with the Judicial and Executive Branches of government embarking on an innovative era of integration and collaboration. It has been my pleasure to work alongside great local, state, and national officials. It’s an honor and a challenge to be part of Pinal County’s historical growth, as leaders we must continuously forecast the needs of our communities and never lose focus on the people we are here to serve."
"I would appreciate your support in my endeavors to continue to hold an active role in the ever changing and growing future of Pinal County and would appreciate your vote in the primary election on September 12, 2006."