Tom Karas Criminal Justice Award
Established in March 2004 (language amended March 2006), this award recognizes that criminal defense practitioner who has worked tirelessly to advance the principles of criminal justice by representing clients or the public with integrity, fairness, tenacity, creativity, brilliance and, above all, professionalism.
2024 Recipient
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Susan L. Corey grew up in a military family, graduated from high school in the Philippines and earned a track scholarship to Oklahoma State University (800, 4x400, cross country). She attended law school at the University of Tulsa and was a member of the Law Review. With Terry Adams, she argued her first capital case in the Arizona Supreme Court in 1995. The case was reversed for re-sentencing. Partnered with the incomparable Garrett Simpson, she asserted, in both the Trial Court and the Arizona Supreme Court, that Arizona’s capital statute was unconstitutional, based on their intensive investigation revealing that nearly every first-degree murder has at least one aggravating factor. The statute has since been modified by the legislature, eliminating some aggravators. In 2018, she received an outstanding performance award from APDA. In 2019 she received the David Goldberg award for excellence in capital litigation. She is a Board Member at the Arizona Bar’s Trial College, teaches capital voir dire in Colorado and Arizona and is an adjunct professor at ASU. Her greatest joy is her son, Ray Polk, an officer in the US Army, whose tremendous talents and great heart make her proud every day. |
Previous Recipients
The award has been presented to:
| 2004 | Fredric F. Kay |
| 2005 | Robert J. Hirsh |
| 2006 | Donna Lee Elm |
| 2007 | Michael B. Scott (posthumously) |
| 2008 | Mark Budoff (posthumously) Robert J. Hooker (posthumously) |
| 2009 | Bruce S. Griffen |
| 2010 | Michael D. Kimerer |
| 2011 | Michael L. Piccarreta |
| 2012 | Darrow K. Soll (posthumously) |
| 2013 | Larry A. Hammond |
| 2014 | Stanton Bloom |
| 2015 | Tom Henze |
| 2016 | John M. Sears |
| 2017 | Stephen M. Weiss |
| 2018 | Walter B. Nash, III Hon. David G. Derickson |
| 2019 | Dwane M. Cates Thomas N. Crowe |
| 2020 | Richard L. Lougee, Jr. Randall S. Papetti |
| 2021 | Richard D. Coffinger |
| 2022 | Lori Voepel |
| 2023 | Margarita Silva |
| 2024 | Susan L. Corey |
State Bar Annual Awards
- Award of Appreciation
- Award of Special Merit
- Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award
- Hon. John R. Sticht Disability Achievement Award
- James A. Walsh Outstanding Jurist Award
- Mark I. Harrison Excellence in Mentorship Award
- Member of the Year Award
- Michael C. Cudahy Criminal Justice Award
- Outstanding In-House Counsel of the Year Award
- President's Award
- Sharon A. Fullmer Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Award
- Tom Karas Criminal Justice Award