Ralph Hess has been a resident of Prescott since 1991. He retired in 2011 as a full time judge pro tem with the Yavapai County Superior Court. Prior to his appointment as a full time judge pro tem, Judge Hess served as a part-time juvenile drug court commissioner pro tem for Yavapai County Superior Court.
Ralph moved to Prescott to become an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Prescott representing the then self-insured municipality in civil rights, personal injury, workers’ compensation, employment, contract, condemnation, zoning, and election matters. He has served on the boards of the Prescott Area Habitat for Humanity, Prescott Fine Arts Association (now Prescott Center for the Arts), and Ecosa. He was a member of Yavapai County Sheriff's Search and Recovery Scuba Unit. Prior to moving to Prescott, Judge Hess engaged in private general legal practices in Maricopa County. He received a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Toledo and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Bowling Green State University majoring in mathematics.
In retirement, Ralph has been supportive of various civil liberty, environmental, and non-violence causes. Locally, he has participated with Occupy Prescott, the disbanded local chapter of Veterans for Peace, the Tom Pettit Chapter, Yavapai County Climate Change Coalition, Save the Dells, and others. He is a member of CWAG and looks forward to working with the CWAG board and members in his new role.