John Lopez IV

John R. Lopez IV (born 1968) is an American lawyer who has served as the vice chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court since 2024. He concurrently has served as a justice of the court since 2016.

Early life and education Lopez received his bachelor's degree in political science and Middle Eastern studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 1992. After receiving his bachelor's degree, Lopez did graduate work in political science and Middle Eastern studies at the University of Chicago and graduated from the Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law in 1998. In law school, Lopez was an articles editor for the Arizona State Law Journal.

Career After law school Lopez clerked for Justice Charles Jones of the Arizona Supreme Court. He then worked at the law firm Bryan Cave as a commercial litigator.

Lopez worked for the United States Attorney's Office for more than 12 years, serving as an Executive Assistant United States Attorney, Chief Assistant, the Chief of Public Crimes and Public Integrity Section as well as Deputy Appellate Chief. He also served for six months as a legal advisor in Iraq consulting in the prosecution of Saddam Hussein. He served as the solicitor general for Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich immediately before his appointment to the Supreme Court.

In April 2024, Lopez authored a 4-2 decision in Planned Parenthood Arizona v. Mayes finding that the state's "territorial-era law outlawing abortion except to save the life of the mother is enforceable."