By RuthAnn Hogue

PINAL COUNTY (Aug. 30) — Steve Fuller has been taking suspected criminals to task for years.

On Tuesday, he hopes voters will give him the nod to become the judge behind the robes who makes the decisions only a Superior Court judge can.

“I know my way around the courtroom because I’ve been there for 14 years,” he said in a speech delivered at a candidate forum in Gold Canyon. ”

What if he winds up hearing a first-degree murder case? No problem, he said, he’s handled them.The same goes for dealing with convicts caught up in prison riots or illegal alien smuggling cases.

His record of doing just that once earned him the title of prosecutor of the year.

“Folks, I share this not to boast, but to let you know what kind of judge you’re going to get.”

Most of his professional experience has taken place in Maricopa County, although he does live in Queen Creek.

Even so, Fuller pointed out, he has served as a pro tem judge around Pinal County, and with the area’s growth, he foresees that the sort of cases he’s handled in Maricopa County will become more common here.

“We need someone with the experience to handle the urban problems coming in,” he said.

Photo by RuthAnn Hogue