Republican Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery will be appointed to a vacant seat on the Arizona Supreme Court.
Governor Doug Ducey announced Wednesday that he has selected the controversial prosecutor to the state's high court over fierce opposition from civil rights advocates and criminal justice reformers.
Montgomery is Ducey's fifth appointment to the seven-justice court, which has wide-ranging authority to shape life in Arizona through its interpretation of state laws including business regulations, election rules and criminal codes.
Montgomery drew support from his fellow Republicans who said he's shown courage making difficult decisions as the top prosecutor in the nation's fourth-largest county.
His critics say he's been hostile to the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. They also say he's a barrier to efforts to reform criminal sentences, which have gained traction elsewhere.