Glendale Presiding Judge Nicholas C. DiPiazza will continue steering innovation, advancing technology, supporting veterans and fostering growth of courthouse employees after he was sworn in on Oct. 8 after the Glendale City Council had reappointed him to another term.

The Glendale City Council in June had voted unanimously to reappoint DiPiazza, who has marked numerous accomplishments in the city, as well as during a legal career that began more than four decades ago and extensive service in the U.S. Navy. DiPiazza first came to Glendale to work as its deputy city attorney in 2005, when he oversaw the civil litigation division, as well as the prosecutor’s office and served as general counsel to various city departments. He was appointed as Presiding Judge for Glendale City Court in 2020.

“We are proud to have Judge DiPiazza continue providing exceptional service and ensuring justice for all our residents, while also advancing technology and fostering the best courthouse employees in Glendale,” Mayor Jerry Weiers said. “He has consistently demonstrated he is fair, hardworking and forward-thinking. His hands-on approach to improving the court’s operations, commitment to assisting veterans in a compassionate manner and willingness to listen to the courthouse team and everyone who interacts with the staff make him a huge asset to the city.”

DiPiazza spearheaded Glendale City Court’s recent major renovations that have allowed enhanced, more efficient and comfortable service for residents and boosted functionality for employees, while also bringing modern aesthetics to the building. The upgrades have allowed Glendale to continue being great stewards of taxpayers’ dollars by extending the life of the courthouse.

“I am excited and humbled by it,” DiPiazza said of his reappointment. “I look forward to another two years in this role. I had a conversation with some of the City Council members recently and I can’t tell you how appreciative I am of their trust and confidence in me. We want to continue with expanding our use of technology to reach more people and to reach them more conveniently; continue to work at improving our customer service and how quickly we can address cases and solve them.”

DiPiazza also helped the court navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including improving technology and providing virtual court proceedings. In addition to adding efficiency to the court, he also effectively instituted a Veteran’s Court, upon the recommendation of Mayor Weiers and with the support of Council. This innovative specialty court serves former U.S. military men and women who have been charged with misdemeanor violations and offers more opportunities to resolve any underlying issues they have that led to them being charged, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). DiPiazza also helped expand this court to serve five other West Valley cities. Tackling the underlying issues veterans face is a cause near and dear to Judge DiPiazza, who served in the Navy for many years before retiring as a U.S. Navy Captain in 2004. During his active military service, he worked in diverse capacities, including as Deputy Director of Security and Law Enforcement, Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C., and Director of Homeland Security for U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.

DiPiazza started his career as a prosecutor in the Kings County District Attorney’s office in Brooklyn, New York, before working as an attorney in law firms in New York, then starting his own law firm in 1981. Before coming to work for Glendale, DiPiazza took on the role of regional planner, then was promoted to Assistant Director for the Arizona Governor’s Office of Homeland Security. A graduate of Fordham University Law School, DiPiazza is honored to continue serving as Presiding Judge in Glendale, but he is not resting on his laurels.

The Glendale City Court, which is part of the Arizona Judicial System, is the Judicial Branch of the Glendale City Government. It adjudicates criminal misdemeanors, city code violations and some juvenile offenses committed in Glendale. It issues protective orders and has the authority to issue search warrants for felonies and misdemeanors. To learn more about Glendale City Court, visit City Court   - City of Glendale (glendaleaz.com)