2026 Annual Arizona Dinner - Promises of 1776: Perspectives from the Bench

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Promises of 1776: Perspectives from the Bench

America’s Founders built out a framework for limited government that dedicated one pillar to a judiciary bound to the law rather than political tides. Our national structure features divided sovereignty: a design in which state and federal courts each bear an independent duty to say what the law is, within their respective spheres. This system has set us apart in the world and offered Americans a path to secure justice. At 250 years, we will examine the successes of this great experiment and explore opportunities to fulfill the promises of the founding through the “least dangerous” branch of government.

Join us for an evening of dinner and discourse, featuring three judges from different vantage points within the judiciary, who have a variety of experiences on and off the bench. Together, our speakers will offer perspectives on questions prompted by this significant milestone in our nation’s history: What the founding generation built, how the judiciary has kept faith with it, and what the next quarter-millennium asks of the courts.

We are pleased to welcome these distinguished panelists:

Vice Chief Justice John R. Lopez IV sits on the Arizona Supreme Court, the final word on this state's law and its constitution. Appointed to the court in 2016 and elevated to Vice Chief Justice in 2024, he brought to the bench a career spanning both advocacy and public service — as Arizona's Solicitor General, an Assistant United States Attorney, and former legal advisor to the Department of Justice abroad. From the summit of a state judiciary, he sees the Constitution as it operates through the sovereignty the Framers reserved to the states.

Judge Lee P. Rudofsky serves on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, where the federal Constitution and the acts of Congress meet litigants. Before his 2019 appointment to the federal bench, he served as the first Solicitor General of Arkansas, practiced at Kirkland & Ellis, and held senior counsel roles in the private sector. From a federal trial court, he sees the same charter from the ground level of the national system.

Moderator Judge Jennifer Perkins began service on the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, in 2017. Prior to her service on the court, Judge Perkins was Assistant Solicitor General for the State of Arizona. Her career spans roles government, nonprofit, and private sector, with expertise in areas including constitutional law, ethics, and elections. At an intermediate state court, Judge Perkins possess a unique perspective on the everyday legal process from floor to ceiling.

Schedule

Cocktail Reception: 5:30-6:30 PM - Grand Ballroom Patio
Dinner & Discussion: 6:30-8:30 PM - Grand Ballroom

Ticket sales to open at a later date

All ticket and table purchases include admission to cocktail reception and dinner. Up to 1 Hour CLE provided.

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As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.