Judge Maria S. Aguilera was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. She graduated from Cholla High School in 1985 and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona in 1990. She obtained her law degree from the University of Arizona College of Law in 1993.

Her legal career began as a Deputy County Attorney at the Pima County Attorney’s Office, a position she held for three years. In 1997, she transitioned to the Arizona Federal Public Defender’s Office for one year before joining the United States Attorney’s Office, where she served for seven years. In 2005, she established her own practice as a sole practitioner at Davila Law Office, PC, focusing primarily on representing individuals charged with criminal offenses, including many indigent defendants facing serious felonies and class one misdemeanors. She represented clients in the United States District Court, Pima County Superior Court, Maricopa County Superior Court, and various courts of limited jurisdiction throughout Arizona.

In addition to managing her law practice, Judge Aguilera was an active member of the Federal Bar Association. She served as the District Court liaison for Criminal Justice Act attorneys and mentored children through the Lawyers for Literacy and Courts Are Us summer programs. In 2018, she was appointed as a Judge Pro Tempore in Marana Municipal Court and held that position until her appointment as a United States Magistrate Judge on April 1, 2019. Because of her extensive trial experience, Judge Aguilera was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2019 prior to her appointment to the bench.

In 2022, Judge Aguilera was appointed Co-chair of the Arizona District Court civics program. During her tenure as co-chair, she expanded the program to include rural schools from the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui Reservations, as well as various charter schools. Over 1,000 students from southern Arizona— encompassing high school, middle school, and college—have participated in multiple Arizona District Court civics programs over the past two years. Judge Aguilera is also an active member of the 9th Circuit Opportunity and Equality Committee, the Thurgood Marshall Equity and Justice Award Committee, and the Pima County Bar Association. Her committee work reflects her commitment to justice and community
empowerment.