Appellate Trials

Lisa Aubuchon Files Appeal of Disbarment Order; Maricopa County Supervisors Mulling Whether Public Should Pay Legal Fees for Appeal

Lisa Aubuchon, the former Maricopa deputy county attorney disbarred last week along with her former boss, Andrew Thomas, has filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court. This afternoon, the county Board of Supervisors is in executive session to decide -- among other things ... More >>

Coerced Confessions

Author examines botched Buddhist Temple Massacre investigation

Janet Napolitano Rumored to be on Short List to Replace Retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens

www.cushawnb2009.com Can you guess how we know Janet Napolitano's from Arizona?​ Justice Janet?! With the announcement that Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is calling it a career, there is no shortage of rumors as to who will replace him.One name swirling around the rumor mill is ... More >>

Local Federal Judge Disagrees With Higher Court; Says No To Child-Killer Debra Milke's Claim Of Miranda Rights Violation

A U.S. District Court Judge has dealt Debra Milke (pictured in a 1991 photo) a big legal setback, ruling that the death-row inmate did validly waive her Miranda rights against self-incrimination before she allegedly confessed to having her son murdered in 1989. ​  Judge ... More >>

Lawyers Behaving Badly: Mark Briggs Ducks and Dennis Wilenchik Skates

Taser Limits Demanded by Ninth Circuit Court

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Tasers should be used only when a suspect poses an immediate threat to a police officer or the public. The gun-like weapons, sold by a Scottsdale company, deliver an immobilizing, painful dose of electricty that's supposed to be non-lethal. Most ... More >>

Andrew Thomas’ Battle Against Spanish-Language DUI Probation Has Cost Us a Half-Million Dollars. But Who's Counting?

Sal DiCiccio Raises Tons of Money -- Has Already Spent $159K on Council Race

​If you've got it, spend it.That appears to be the motto of Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio, who's raised a staggering $225,160 for his council campaign -- and has already spent all but $65,000 of it.According to the most recent set of campaign finance reports for the hotly contended District ... More >>

Arpaio and Hendershott Order Troops to Seize County Computers Containing Data That a Judge Ruled Arpaio Couldn't Have

Chief Deputy Dave Hendershott​ The county feud took what is perhaps its ugliest turn yesterday as deputies with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office seized county computers with data a court already ruled the sheriff couldn't access. County Manager David Smith called Sheriff Joe Arpaio a "thug ... More >>

Hot Links: Catholic Priests, All-Stars, and Barking Dogs

An Arizona court of appeals has upheld the conviction of Roman Catholic priest Paul LeBrun, who was found guilty of sex crimes while working parishes in Tolleson and Avondale. The judge in the original 2006 trial, Crane McLennen, gave LeBrun the max sentence: 111 years...US Airways will eliminate 60 ... More >>

Hendershott Files New Records Request With Maricopa Superior Court That Looks Like Old Request

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Dave Hendershott asked for e-mails of Superior Court staff in a fresh public-records request this month and was promptly told to bug off.A similar records request went nowhere earlier this year, spurring a lawsuit from the Sheriff's Office that was shot ... More >>

Supreme Court to Hear Phoenix Appeal in CityNorth Case

Sarah FenskeThe $97 million CityNorth tax giveaway supposedly paid for this parking garage.This just in: The Arizona Supreme Court will revisit the appellate decision that struck down the city of Phoenix's $97 million subsidy of the CityNorth development.Today's decision to grant review is a victory ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, May 14, 2009

Brewer vs. Nader: The U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Arizona's Appeal on Ballot Law

Wikimedia Commons Ralph Nader wins his battle against Arizona's ballot laws.The Supreme Court has upheld a decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that overturned an Arizona law regulating how independent candidates can get on Arizona ballots. Presidential hopeful Ralph Nade ... More >>

CityNorth Development Threatened After Appeals Court Blasts City's Tax Giveaway

The Arizona Court of Appeals today struck down Phoenix's giveaway of $97 million in sales tax that was promised to a developer in exchange for building the Kierland-Commons-like CityNorth center. A few months ago, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Phoenix's be-kind-to-de ... More >>

Walloping Janet Napolitano for Her Prop 102 Stance, The Word-Wrangling Wren Looks to Harvey Milk for Inspiration

ACES AND EIGHTS: Appeals court deals Joe Arpaio a losing hand in New Times lawsuit over public docs.

Information Blockade

The sheriff's made a career of stonewalling critical media — the public's right to know be damned

County Attorney Andrew "Babyface" Thomas and hired muscle Dennis "Demon Dog" Wilenchik being investigated by AZ State Bar.

Dead Man Talkin'

A murderer tells New Times that he wants desperately to die, but a U.S. appeals court won't let the state kill him

Turn Up the Heat

Napolitano should get behind the state's new fire marshal and force Tent City's closure

Guilt Trip

Eftenoff's murder sentence upheld

Judging Stanley

Justice Stanley Feldman has ruled the Arizona legal scene for years. But now he's gone. And Governor Janet Napolitano has some important decisions to make.

Death Wish

Pending court ruling delays Robert Comer's fate

Look Who's Cooking

Symington develops a taste for restaurateuring

Arizona's Worst Criminal

Infamous killer Robert Comer now says he's the one who should die

Spiked

The legal community is abuzz about who will be Arizona's next Supreme Court justice.

Begging Your Pardon

Fife Symington's free and Michael Hester's not. But thanks to the ex-governor's oversight, that may soon change.

Snake Killer

They call it "Snake Farm." Lawyers like Cal Thur battle State Farm to protect consumers from their own insurance company. Moral of the story: Don't have an accident.

Kay's Okay

"Committing the Truth" follow-up

Moral Sex

City Hall Puritans crack down on sex businesses. Expect the courts to decide if the new laws are constitutional.

Second Helpings

Poetic Justice

The federal judges Fife Symington once decried as "philosopher kings" will now decide whether he goes to jail

All Abort!

Pro-life group battles city on bus ads

Juror Furor

Juror's dismissal prompts mistrial demands; excused woman had put false data on questionnaire

A Case to Be Made

It's My Courtroom, and I'll Try Like I Want To

His daughter is a gubernatorial confidante. His appointment raised questions of cronyism. But it was Judge Ramon Alvarez's strange behavior in the courtroom that made him a target of misconduct allegations.

Copping an Attitude

Public complaints about racism have created firestorms of recrimination at the Glendale police department. Is psychological counseling a remedy for the conflict -- or retaliation against officers who spoke out?

REVERSAL OF MISFORTUNE

JAMES MCPHEETERS BEAT A MOLESTATION RAP, BUT WAS SENTENCED TO 561 YEARS FOR POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. AN APPELLATE COURT SAYS HE DESERVES A NEW TRIAL.

DAVE'S NOT HERE

REPUBLIC REPORTER LOSES JOB AFTER ASSUMING THE IDENTITY OF A PROMINENT ATTORNEY

SOUR JUSTICE THIS NICE LITTLE OLD LADY'S DAY IN COURT LEFT A BAD TASTE IN HER MOUTH