Dennis L. McGuire

Commission: meets standards (10–0)

The Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by vote of 10-0 that Judge Dennis L. McGuire MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. The judicial performance standards are: integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and the public.

Judge McGuire’s current docket consists of 50% domestic relations matters and 50% criminal cases. In his self-evaluation and in his interview with the Commission, he emphasized his commitment to maintaining strong knowledge in the areas of law relevant to the cases before him. Since his last evaluation, Judge McGuire has attended conferences and completed courses to further refining his competency in family law and his legal writing abilities. He recognizes that the matters he presides over often involve sensitive issues that naturally give rise to strong emotions and, at times, dissatisfaction with the outcomes. Nevertheless, he expressed a continued commitment to treating attorneys, litigants, and victims with dignity and respect in his courtroom. His opinions and rulings reflect not only his command of the law but also a deliberate, plain language approach that avoids legalese and ensures that self-represented litigants can clearly understand the court’s reasoning. A total of seven attorneys and fourteen non-attorneys responded to the judicial performance surveys regarding Judge McGuire. The Commission found that, although limited in number, the survey responses were consistent with its independent evaluations. Based on these findings, the Commission unanimously agreed that Judge McGuire meets performance standards.

The Commission’s decision is based on a thorough process which included interviews with Judge McGuire, with the Chief Judge and representatives from the offices of the Public Defender and the District Attorney, as well as a review of the judge’s self-evaluation, written rulings, and survey report.

Judge McGuire was appointed to the District Court in July 2024. Prior to this appointment, he served as a County Court judge for several years and before that, a District Court magistrate judge. Prior to joining the bench, he was a Deputy State Public Defender. He received his undergraduate degree from Northern Arizona University in 1998 and his law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 2001. Judge McGuire is active in the community. In the past he has provided mentoring support for refugee families. He participates in the Judicially Speaking program, which is dedicated to enhancing students’ understanding of the judiciary and its role in the American legal system. He also is a member of the Fourth Judicial District Access to Justice Commission, where he serves on the Family Law Day and Legal Resource Day Planning Committees.

State evaluation page · 2026 survey report (PDF)