Christina CabanillasView profile
Professor
Christina Cabanillas is a Part-time Professor of Practice at the James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona. She holds adjunct roles at Pima Community College and has extensive experience in criminal law, appellate advocacy, and legal education. Her career spans over three decades with key roles as Senior Litigation Counsel at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, and Deputy Pima County Attorney. She specializes in criminal procedure, search and seizure, sentencing, and mentoring. Education: J.D., University of Arizona College of Law, 1990 B.A., Arizona State University, 1987 Research Interests: Ms. Cabanillas focuses on criminal justice system improvements, appellate advocacy techniques, and legal writing. She authored seminal practice manuals in search and seizure and confessions, emphasizing ethical prosecution and procedural compliance. Her work bridges legal theory and practical courtroom strategies, particularly in high-stakes criminal cases like United States v. Loughner and United States v. Arvizu . Professional Contributions: Over 30 years of legal training for judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and law students. Topics include legal research/writing, sentencing, and professionalism. She chairs multiple Arizona State Bar committees and serves on the Morris K. Udall American Inns of Court. Awards: John M. Roll Criminal Justice Award (2019) U.S. Attorney’s Distinguished Service Award (2019) Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award (2013) Grants & Labs: No explicit grants mentioned, but her work is funded through institutional roles. Active in legal community service via organizations like Arizona Lawyers Foundation and Legal Trainings & Presentations programs.










