Arizona Supreme Court

Steve Smith's "Save Joe Arpaio's Ass Bill" Passes State House, and, Oh, It's Unconstitutional

Here's yet another sign worshippers at the font of all things Sheriff Joe know that their boy is doomed by the current recall effort: Their willingness to resort to futile, unconstitutional trickery to keep Arpaio's career on life support. See also: -Russell Pearce-Inspired Recall Bill Unconstituti ... More >>

Poster Child For Capital Punishment Advocates James Wallace Leaves Death Row

James Granvil Wallace, a 62-year-old murderer from Tucson who has been on death row for more than a quarter-century, now will spend the rest of his life in prison after a highly controversial Arizona Supreme Court ruling. ​The court's unanimous reasoning for allowing Wallace to escape exec ... More >>

Tom Horne to Argue Tucson Government Case at Glendale's Thunderbird School Tomorrow

Image: Court videoTom Horne argued a case personally before the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals this summer. Tomorrow, he'll appear before the Arizona Supreme Court on another case.​As an elected official, Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne could make himself as relatively unseen as, well, Gov ... More >>

Jan Brewer Caves on Redistricting, Won't Call Second Special Session on AIRC

There are some messages so loud and clear that even someone as dense as Arizona's grammatically-challenged chief executive gets the message.Less than a week after the release of a poll showing Governor Jan Brewer's disapproval rating at 49 percent, with 32 percent of Sand Land voters willing to reca ... More >>

Decision in State Bar Disciplinary Case Not Expected Till Spring; Andrew Thomas, Lisa Aubuchon and Rachel Alexander Face Punishment

Image: Arizona Supreme CourtState Bar Disciplinary Judge William O'Neil, the same guy who stopped Andrew Thomas' bogus prosecution of Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe, will now help decide whether Thomas can keep practicing law in Arizona.​ The Arizona State Bar's independent ... More >>

Andy Thomas and Company Continue to Get Eviscerated At Disciplinary Hearings

Testimony continues this morning at the Thomas/Aubuchon/Alexander disciplinary hearings at the Arizona Supreme Court in downtown Phoenix.Andrew Peyton Thomas: Career in tatters​Lisa Aubuchon, a onetime top assistant to former Maricopa County Attorney, is expected to take the stand at the hearing i ... More >>

Russell Pearce's "Sham" Candidate Olivia Cortes' Date in Court This Thursday

oliviacortes.comWill Lisa Hauser end up defending Olivia Cortes as well? I wouldn't be surprised.Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Edward Burke will preside over a hearing this Thursday in a lawsuit brought by elections law attorney Tom Ryan, alleging that Olivia Cortes' candidacy for state Senat ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Challenge to Recall Shot Down by Arizona Supreme Court

Pearce loses yet again...I'm on deadline for my column this week, but I wanted to share this news, fresh from the Arizona Supreme Court.The Supremes just issued the following order, affirming Superior Court Judge Hugh Hegyi's decision to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the petitions that have forced a ... More >>

August 15 In Blogs: Russell Pearce, Custom Pipes, Dave Pratt, Food Trucks, and CityNorth

​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries:

Child Killer Jim Styers' Conviction Upheld Yet Again in Milke Murder Case

We wrote a blog item earlier today about the parallels of the Casey Anthony and Deborah Milke child-murder cases, and mentioned the name of little Chris Milke's actual killer, "Smiling" Jim Styers, child killerVietnam vet James Lynn Styers.   Didn't take but a few minutes before someone ... More >>

Sorority Girls

Learn about Phoenix’s heavy-hitting females

June 7 In Blogs: Urban Artists Collective, SB 1070, The Library, Bomberos, and DUIs

​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries:

June 2 In Blogs: Silly Bandz, Adult Swim, MacAlpine's, and Jan Brewer

​​​​​​​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Feathered Bastard: Ray Stevens' Dumb, Anti-Immigrant Song "Come To the U.S.A." Jackalope ... More >>

Arizona Department of Veterans Services' Fiduciary Program Gets Slammed by the Arizona Supreme Court

Andrew Thomas Bar Complaints to Be Handled by Colorado Official

Image: Colorado Bar Association Colorado legal official John Gleason will examine allegations of misconduct against Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas.​ To guard against possible conflicts of interest, the Arizona Supreme Court has handed off bar complaints against Maricopa County ... More >>

Arizona Supreme Court Could Make Photo-Radar Tickets More Enforceable, Thanks to PV Police Chief Buzz-Kill

www.scottsdalerotary.com Paradise Valley Police Chief John Wintersteen​Now that revenue from photo radar has officially failed to meet the lofty, $90-million expectations of former Governor Janet Napolitano, the Arizona Supreme Court will decide on whether to give the go-ahead to proposed c ... More >>

CityNorth Subsidy Sent Back to Court of Appeals

Is this parking lot worth $97 million? If not, the city of Phoenix wouldn't be permitted to make a deal like CityNorth in the future, says the Arizona Supreme Court.​The Arizona Supreme Court today unanimously reversed an appellate court ruling on the CityNorth case, saying it erred wh ... More >>

Ruth McGregor, Former AZ Supreme Court Chief Justice, Appointed "Special Master" for Maricopa County Disputes

​We wouldn't wish this job on our worst enemy.Seeking to somehow manage the chaos that has engulfed the justice system in Maricopa County -- what with the county's presiding criminal court judge facing bizarre charges, a host of judges accused of being part of a "criminal enterprise," and ... More >>

County Attorney Applauds Appointment of Special Master for Ongoing Dispute

Ruth McGregor​You can color us very, very surprised.We publicly predicted earlier this morning that Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas will oppose Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Rebecca Berch's decision to appoint a "special master" to sort through the craziness in this county.Turns out, ... More >>

Hot Links: New Rail Talk, Valley Home Prices, and Foot Botox

​The Arizona Supreme Court decided late Wednesday not to block enactment of a new state law that would require public employees to report illegal immigrants. The justices didn't discuss the merits of the law, but said that the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, which had asked that the law be str ... More >>

Metadata in Electronic Government Records Must be Released to Public, Arizona Supreme Court Rules

Phoenix police Sergeant David Lake may get to find out whether his supervisors screwed him over, thanks to unanimous pro-public-records ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court. As we related back in January, Lake was halted twice by the court system in his quest to obtain the metadata embedded in a Micr ... More >>

October 29 In Blogs: Google, Thomas Keller, Metadata, and ABC 15

​In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Feathered Bastard: ABC 15 Flubs Joe Arpaio Poll Results, Arpaio's Numbers Countywide, Not Statewide Up on the S ... More >>

Arizona Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Bid by Andrew Thomas; Strip of County Attorney's Power OK'd by High Court

​ That was quick. The Arizona Supreme Court has rejected Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas' appeal of his failed lawsuit over the power to handle the county's civil lawsuits. Click here for the short, to-the-point ruling.  

Andrew Thomas Appeals to State Supreme Court Over Strip of Power

​ Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas is making what may be his final stand against his enemies in county management with an appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court. In a 37-page brief filed today, Thomas tells the Court he wants it to strike down as illegal the County Supervisors' takeov ... More >>

Brewer Picks Tucson Republican as New State Supreme Court Justice

​ Governor Jan Brewer put out a news release this afternoon announcing she's picked A. John Pelander III to fill a vacancy on the Arizona Supreme Court. The vacancy was created by the upcoming retirement of Chief Justice Ruth McGregor. As the Arizona Republic notes today, Pelander is a Repub ... More >>

Patrick Bearup Loses Appeal; Murder Conviction and Death Sentence Upheld

  This just in: A neo-Nazi who's the son of a former political opponent of Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio has lost the appeal of his murder conviction and challenge to his death sentence. Read today's Arizona Supreme Court's opinion on Patrick Bearup by clicking here. At right is ... More >>

June 30 In Blogs: Sadisco, Tortas El Guero, Dogs "Euthanized by Gunshot," and Harold Fish

In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Up on the Sun: Club Candids at Sadisco You Asked For It: Serious Side Effects Chow Bella: Tortas El Guero Opens N ... More >>

Arizona Supreme Court Reject's Brewer's Demand, Allows Lawmakers More Time to Send Budget Bill

The Arizona Supreme Court today decided not to force lawmakers to send Governor Jan Brewer a budget bill she wants to veto, but only because lawmakers said they'd send the bill in five days. Brewer's argument -- that the State Legislature should not be allowed to hold back on sending the bill - ... 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 >>

Arizona Supreme Court Upholds Legislative Districting Plan

Ruth McGregor This just in: The Arizona Supreme Court has upheld the state's legislative districting plan, nearly seven years after it was initially adopted.A group of left-leaning advocates, including Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, State Representative Pete Rios and the Hispanic Bar A ... More >>

Private School Vouchers for Disabled Kids Struck Down by State Supreme Court

  Public schools send some disabled kids to private schools -- but parents can't do the same thing with state money, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled today. The state's high court struck down two voucher programs that intended to give a combined $5 million in taxpayer funds t ... More >>

Sedona Treatment Center Owners Addicted to Cheating on Taxes, Feds Say

The owners of the Desert Canyon Treatment Center in Sedona may have helped people kick the habit, but they were hiding their own sins at the same time, according to a federal indictment released today. William and Diane Steiniger (pictured) cheated on their taxes for more than 10 years by hidin ... More >>

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

Tucson Extremist Roy Warden's Upcoming "Rally" to "Impeach" AZ Supreme Ruth McGregor

Roy Warden: Este pendejo, indeed...Anti-immigrant nutjob and Mexican flag-burner Roy Warden's coming to town Wednesday, December 10 for a "rally" to "impeach" Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Ruth McGregor. Well, supposedly. According to e-mails the wacky Warden's sent out to the state Supreme Co ... More >>

Rush Limbaugh Backpedals on Bogus Tale of Politically Correct Arizona Courts

Limbaugh blathered on November 10 about the outrageous ban in the Arizona judicial system on perceived derogatory terms referring to immigrants. Problem was, no such ban had been decreed.

Arizona Supreme Court Tells Sheriff Joe to Take a Hike; New Times Victory Upheld

Arizona pols play politics with the state’s disabled students

AZ Bar will appoint a special investigator in the Andrew Thomas case

The Arizona Supreme Court to the rescue?

A shocking court decision might free builders from responsibility for home defects

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Identity Crisis

Court committee considers keeping the names of jurors secret

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.

Turning the Tide

Letters from the week of January 2, 2003

Spiked

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

Scrubbed?

That Would Be You, Mr. Chief Justice

Zlaket casts misguided stones in controversial rape case

Judge in the Box

QuickCourt kiosks, ATMs of jurisprudence, help laymen go through the motions

Dubious Practices

SEARCH MEHOW MANY COPS DOES IT TAKE TO SEARCH A LAWYER'S OFFICE? NONE, AND THEY'LL HAVE TO CALLL A LAWYER FIRST