As a practicing attorney for 34 years, Tamika N. Wooten has dedicated her
practice to seeking justice in all three areas of the criminal justice system, where
she has led as a prosecutor, fought as a defense attorney, and dispensed justice as a
judge. She has proudly devoted her life to protecting children and families in
Maricopa County. Her legal career demonstrates a progression in the duties and
responsibilities required to serve in the public’s interest. While working for the
City of Glendale, she was appointed as the Chief City Prosecutor and coordinated
with the Presiding Judge to develop an award-winning Domestic Violence
program. In addition to Tamika’s courtroom experience as an advocate of justice,
she expanded her passion for justice by serving as a judge throughout Maricopa
County, including the cities of Avondale, El Mirage, Mesa, Scottsdale, Surprise,
and Wickenburg.
Tamika is a data driven leader, skilled in solving complex issues with common
sense solutions. Her approach to smart, fair, equitable criminal justice policies
isn’t one-size-fits-all. She will enlist the power of innovations in crime prevention
and restorative justice practices to invest in building healthy lives and
communities, particularly for juveniles, veterans and non-violent offenders with
mental health and addiction issues.
Tamika’s hard-working parents played a critical role in fostering her community-
driven spirit that undergirds her values in law today. Tamika’s father, a postal
worker, instilled a work ethic of service and civic responsibility. Tamika’s mother,
worked as a high school teacher for high risk students, placing an emphasis on
preparing students to strive beyond their current circumstances. Tamika has
always made education a priority. After graduating from high school early at the
age of 16, she graduated from UCLA and went on to study law at the University of
Arizona. Tamika continued her education further with hundreds of hours of law
training and Sports Management.
With nearly 3 decades of experience within the Maricopa County criminal justice
system, and as a wife to a pediatrician and mother of two daughters, Tamika’s
values line up with hard-working families of Maricopa County who want to keep
our communities safe and make sure our loved ones return home every night.