PHOENIX (By Susan Mercer Hinrichs, Arizona Republic) January 27, 2004 - Judge Barbara Rodriguez Mundell received an unexpected birthday present just before the holidays.

On Dec. 7, the day she turned 49, Mundell says she received word from Arizona Chief Justice Charles E. Jones that she soon would shoulder new responsibilities as top presiding judge in the Maricopa County Superior Court system.

Mundell says her thoughts turned to words like "fantastic," though she acknowledges she had not expected such an honor "in her wildest dreams." She adds that she is pleased and proud to earn such a distinction.

So for nearly six months, Maricopa County's first female, first Hispanic presiding judge will work closely with her outgoing predecessor, Judge Colin Campbell, furthering his projects and phasing in her own. Her five-year appointment becomes effective July 1, at the start of county fiscal year 2006.

Mundell says many court system programs are functioning well. However, like the law, which is continually analyzed, modified and codified, improvements to a physically ponderous system will be refined and improved.

"It's resources," Mundell says when asked what stands as a pressing county superior-court system issue. "The fact the (Maricopa County) population is outstripping resources."

Maricopa County has ranked as one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation for the past decade, federal Census Bureau records show. A burgeoning population brings with it a propensity for increased crime, which adds to the court caseload.

Mundell's five-year appointment becomes effective July 1. Until then, she will be presiding judge-designate, gradually assuming more responsibilities for the daily court operations. It's a system with a more than $192 million budget this fiscal year, scores of judges and more than 2,000 staff members, including probation officers.

"I'm pleased to have good people in place who can help people," she says.

She says that with staff assistance, she'll be able realize some of her other goals, such as overseeing the building of six regional court satellite offices that can accommodate both judges and justices of the peace.

Another goal is to continue streamlining the case-filing process to facilitate caseloads. Maricopa County is regarded nationwide as a standard bearer for the extent in which technological advances have enhanced filings, Mundell says. However, as computerized improvements increase, the opportunities for facilitating filing processes expands, too.

Mundell says she also/ hopes to reorganize case-management systems in family-law filings to speed resolutions in Family Court.

Mundell says that in addition to serving in her increased capacity, she will continue to preside over two court calendars in which she says she retains great interest: the jury scofflaw court and the Spanish-language DUI court.

Mundell shakes her head in disbelief, citing the fact that for every 10 people called for jury duty, only one to three show up. Jury scofflaw court is the setting where those who avoid jury duty have their case presented to a judge.

Mundell says her Hispanic heritage is why she continues to preside over the Spanish-language DUI court.

"I believe it's fulfilling to litigants when there's a judge who is one of them" and who can speak their language, Mundell says.

She speaks fluent Spanish. Growing up in south Phoenix, the daughter of field workers, Mundell says she learned firsthand about prejudice and racism against minorities. Her upbringing led her to study law after earning an undergraduate degree in political science at Arizona State University. Mundell says she viewed the law then as "the great equalizer" whose practitioners have the ability to right wrongs.

"It (the law) doesn't look at race or gender; it's blind to that," Mundell says.

"An understanding judge will listen to facts and apply the law" as it applies to the case, she says.

She received her juris doctorate in 1981, then was an associate counsel for the Swenson's Ice Cream Corp. for two years.

However, Mundell says she found corporate-law work isolating, keeping her too far removed from the human element she says she enjoys most about the law.

She was in private practice from 1982-86, providing representation in workers' compensation cases.

She moved on to be an administrative law judge with the Arizona Industrial Commission. After working there from 1986-89, Mundell stepped into the Maricopa County Superior Court system, working as a commissioner from 1989-91. She became a judge in 1991, initially presiding over civil cases.

Her career evolved somewhat surprisingly, Mundell says.

"I never consciously set out to become a judge," she says.

However, as her career progressed and now, having reached what can be considered a position where her judicial imprint can be enduring, Mundell remains modest about her accomplishments.

"I'm very proud to be a member of the Supreme Court; I'm proud of the bench and I will work hard to take pride in the work," she says.

Meanwhile, her hard work over the years has prevented her from playing much tennis or racquetball. Likewise, jogging or treadmill trekking doesn't occur as frequently as she'd like.

Relaxation comes in the form of family time. Mundell is married to Arizona Corporation Commissioner Bill Mundell. The couple have two daughters, one attending the University of Arizona and a youngster in elementary school. Many extended family members live in the Valley, too.

But the one person she credits the most for her drive to achieve and improve the qualities of life for others is her father, Frank Rodriguez, 74. He imparted a lifelong bond of kindness while fostering strong values for her.

Meanwhile, Mundell has set about learning the ropes of her new position.

She moved into her temporary office Jan. 3. A black judge's robe looks distinguished hanging on a stand near her desk. Stacks of boxes may remain unpacked during this interim move, she says. However, the contents of the ones most frequently used are near her desk, their contents studied and scrutinized frequently.