Superior Court

Judge Stauffer was born and raised in Hereford, Texas, and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Texas Tech University in May 1978 with a major in psychology. She received her Master’s Degree in psychology from Adams State College in 1979 and worked in the counseling profession from then until 1983 when she enrolled in law school at California Western School of Law in San Diego. At law school, Judge Stuffer received the Jurisprudence Award for trial practice, was a member of the honors board, and was the student commencement speaker at graduation.   

She became a solo practitioner practicing mostly in Graham and Greenlee counties from 1990 – 1998 and clerked for former Greenlee County Superior Court Judge Allen Minker, who convinced her to run for judge. 

“Monica had her own practice from 1990 through 1998, when she took Judge Minker’s advice and ran for superior court judge,” said Arizona Supreme Court Vice Chief Justice Ann A Scott Timmer at the 2022 Judicial Conference where Judge Stauffer received her award. “She was the first, and only female superior court judge in Greenlee County (and a registered Republican at that!). She has successfully run for reelection five times.  And because she’s the only superior court judge in the county, she also serves as its Presiding Judge. Judge Stauffer has assumed several leadership positions with organizations including as dean of the Judicial College of Arizona and president of the Arizona Judges Association. She served on the Arizona Judicial Council and various committees throughout her career and has presented programs at this conference, as well as the State Bar of Arizona’s annual convention.”