Former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Frank Gordon Jr. dead at 90

Frank Gordon Jr., the former Arizona Supreme Court justice known for his measured handling of Gov. Evan Mecham’s impeachment trial, died Monday.

He was 90. 

“Justice Gordon was the embodiment of what it means to be a judge to a generation of Arizonans," Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Brutinel said in a statement. 

He described Gordon — who was raised in Kingman — as "a true gentleman who never forgot his small-town Arizona roots" despite presiding over some of the most high-profile proceedings in Arizona’s history.

"The impact of his work to modernize and improve Arizona’s justice system shapes our courts today," Brutinel said. "We are grateful for his service to the citizens of Arizona and to our courts.”

Following in his father's footsteps

Gordon grew up in Kingman at a time when ranching, farming and mining supported the small, rural community

When he graduated from Mohave County Union High School in 1947, it was still the only high school in the county. 

He sought to broaden his horizons at Stanford University. There, Gordon met and briefly dated fellow Arizonan Sandra Day, who later became the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

He also met and married his wife, Joan Gipe, and the pair moved to Tucson after graduation.  

After earning a law degree from the University of Arizona, Gordon and his family returned to Kingman so he could practice law with his father. They were two of just five practicing attorneys in Mohave County. 

“At that time, and for several years thereafter, if both (father and son) walked down the street in Kingman and met one of the other lawyers in town, they had a quorum of the Mohave County Bar present,” according to the Arizona courts’ “Legends of the Judiciary” series. 

'Civility, decorum and impartiality' during Mecham trial

At age 33, Gordon became a Mohave County Superior Court judge. Thirteen years later, then-Gov. Raul Castro appointed him to the state’s highest court — the first appellate court judge vetted using the merit-selection process established in 1974.  

Gordon served on the Supreme Court for 17 years, including five years as chief justice. 

In 1988, he presided over the 23-day impeachment trial of then-Gov. Mecham, who was accused of violating campaign finance laws, among other allegations. Before the trial began, he collaborated with senators to formalize rules for the proceedings.  

"Civility, decorum, and impartiality characterized his performance as presiding officer,” University of Arizona law professor Robert Glennon wrote of Gordon.  

“A danger in any impeachment trial, and this one in particular, is that the impeachment jury might appear biased or politically motivated,” he wrote. “Gordon’s display of judicial temperament created the unmistakable appearance of neutrality."  

Glennon reported that Gordon urged the lawyers and legislators involved to remember they were on display “as representatives of their professions, and they should conduct themselves accordingly.” 

Accessibility, reducing recidivism among justice's passions

When Gordon reflected on his proudest moments years later, the impeachment trial didn’t make the list. 

He said he'd most like to be remembered for making the state's court system more accessible to average Arizonans, and for helping to reduce the chances of juvenile and adult offenders returning to prison. 

To improve accessibility, the Arizona Supreme Court used a grant to create a roughly 150-member “Commission on the Courts” and charged it with developing recommendations to make state courts less expensive and less confusing.  

The group produced a 100-page report and 50 recommendations, 37 of which were implemented by the time Gordon retired in 1992. 

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To reduce recidivism, the Supreme Court established “Learn Labs” across Arizona’s correctional system after learning 60% of prisoners in Arizona couldn't read above a third-grade level.  

A court administrator had learned of an IBM pilot program that worked to improve reading skills using computers and comic book characters. Partnering with IBM and Catalina High School in Tucson, the court arranged to test the IBM program with juvenile offenders in Pima County, as well as "at risk" students in the high school.  

The students, on average, raised their reading performance by about three grade levels in half a school year. 

The program has since expanded throughout the rest of Arizona, with some labs bearing Gordon’s name. 

Services

Gordon is survived by his wife; two children, Trey and Candy; three grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

His son Scott preceded him in death at age 19.

Visitation will be held at 3 p.m. Monday at First United Methodist Church, 5510 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix, with memorial services following.

Graveside services will be held at noon Jan. 17 at Mountain View Cemetery in Kingman.