Arizona Supreme Court

Marijuana and Driving: AZ Supreme Court Asked to Review Recent Appellate Decision Upholding Zero-Tolerance Law

The Arizona Supreme Court has been asked to review a precedent-setting state Court of Appeals ruling that upholds the state's law against marijuana in a motorist's bloodstream. The appellate court ruled last month that the State Legislature intended to criminalize the presence of any metabolite of ... More >>

Jan Brewer Times Three? Ten Reasons Jan Should Run for an Unconstitutional Third Term

Jan Brewer cannot run for governor again. There is no wiggle room in the Arizona Constitution. And if she tries, she is guaranteed to kiss the canvas with her plastic-surgery-gone-wrong gob, slapped down by the Arizona Supreme Court. See also: -Jan Brewer's Sniveling New Memoir Laughably Paints He ... More >>

Arizona Supreme Court: Political Candidates Must Speak English (Dammit)

The Arizona Supreme Court has upheld an age-old law requiring everyone seeking political office in the state be proficient in the English language.To put it in nativist terms, "Speak English, dammit."Alejandrina Cabrera was trying to run for a city council seat in San Luis -- where 88 percent of peo ... More >>

Dale Hausner, One of Valley's Infamous "Serial Shooters," Apparently Wants To Die ASAP

See Also: Dale Hausner, One of Phoenix's Infamous "Serial Shooters" in 2005-06, To Remain On Death Row Dale Hausner, part of the "Serial Shooter" team that killed and maimed numerous Valley citizens (and animals) before their 2006 capture, wants to be executed as soon as possible. At least that' ... More >>

Rachel Alexander Wins Reprieve From Judge; Appeal Back on Track

Don't let those conservative critics mislead you: The Arizona Supreme Court's Disciplinary Judge is really a big softie. Judge William O'Neil has given Rachel Alexander, the ethics-bending former underling of Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, another chance to appeal the ordered suspension of ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Complaining About His Disbarment in You Write the Caption

Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas held a press conference on Wednesday to complain about the decision by an Arizona Supreme Court disciplinary panel to strip him of his license to practice law.The Feathered Bastard Stephen Lemons was there, as Thomas compared himself to Gandhi and Dr. Ma ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Decision Due This Morning; Former Maricopa County Attorney and Underlings' Legal Career on Ropes

Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas is about to learn whether or not he has an Arizona law license. Thomas and his former deputies, Lisa Aubuchon and Rachel Alexander are facing punishment on a range of alleged ethical violations, which you can read about in previous New Times coverage. We ... More >>

Mary Rose Wilcox, Maricopa County Supervisors, Settles Lawsuit With County For Undisclosed Amount

Mary Rose Wilcox, Maricpa County Supervisor, settled with county in her lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. Wilcox just walked in the courtroom here at Arizona Supreme Court, where former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas will find out this morning if he's to be disbarred. Mary Rose Wilcox ignor ... More >>

Supreme Court Judge Mike Ryan UPDATE: Funeral Mass This Friday Afternoon

We happened by the Old Courthouse on West Washington Street early this afternoon to pick up some documents, and were greeted at the front steps by a horde of black-robed Maricopa County Superior Court judges having a group photo taken. What a crew!   Judge Michael Ryan hated this ph ... More >>

Jan Brewer BODY-SLAMMED by Arizona Supreme Court on Redistricting, Again

Man, this drama is getting moldier than a rerun of 21 Jump Street.  This afternoon, the Arizona Supreme Court -- for the second time -- handed Governor Jan Brewer a big fat loss on her attempt to remove Colleen Mathis, chairwoman of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, the panel ch ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Sham Candidate's Lawyer Seeks to Stop Friday Hearing (w/Updates)

Just when you thought you could go one day without more shenanigans from the pro-Pearce crowd, here comes Anthony Tsontakis, attorney for sham recall candidate Olivia Cortes, with a desperate appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court, seeking to halt a Friday hearing where more evidence is to be introduce ... More >>

Phoenix Council Members Plan To Terminate CityNorth's $100 Million Tax Rebate Deal

Council members hosting a 2 p.m. press conference at City Hall to announce undoing of CityNorth's nearly $100 million tax-break deal​Vice Mayor Thelda Williams and Phoenix City Councilmen Bryan Jeffries and Michael Nowakowski  plan to undo a deal that gave a nearly $100 million tax brea ... More >>

U.S. Supreme Court Denies Stay for Condemned Murderer, Execution Scheduled for 10 a.m.

​If you're reading this after 10 a.m., there's a pretty good chance that convicted murderer Eric John King will be dead.The United States Supreme Court this morning denied a stay of execution filed by King's attorneys that would have delayed his execution until the state switches to a one-drug exe ... More >>

Russell Pearce Scores Partial Win in Bid To Rig Redistricting

Pearce wins a Pyrrhic victory, of sorts The Arizona Supreme Court today handed state Senate President Russell Pearce a partial win in his bid to rig the redistricting process that will affect Sand Land politics for the next 10 years.In an order just issued by Vice Chief Justice Andrew Hurwitz, the c ... More >>

Russell Pearce Sues in Bid To Rig Redistricting

Pearce wants to call the shots on the "independent" redistricting panel, and is suing to get his wayWell that didn't take long. As anticipated, state Senate President-elect Russell Pearce and his so-far compliant wingman state House Speaker Kirk Adams, are taking to court their bid to rig Arizona's ... More >>

Sean Gaines Gets 25 Years in Skinhead Slaying, While Patrick Bearup Remains on Death Row

Patrick Bearup: Facing the needle, while his cohorts cheat deathSomeone contacted me recently, wondering whether or not I support the death penalty. I told them I do not, but not because I think it's such a bad idea to give the needle to those who are dead-to-rights guilty of a capital crime.Rather, ... More >>

Andrew Thomas May End Up Disbarred, But He Really Belongs in a Prison Cell

Andrew Thomas' "Reckless, Four-Year Campaign of Corruption and Power Abuse"

Aren't you glad this guy didn't become state Attorney General? A "reckless, four-year campaign of corruption and power abuse." That's how retired Judge Charles E. Jones categorized the evidence against ex-County Attorney Andrew Thomas and his one-time hatchetwoman, former deputy County A ... More >>

Blood Taken During DUI Stop Without Warrant or Suspect's Consent Can't be Used in Court, Arizona Supreme Court Rules

www.coventry.com​The Arizona Supreme Court ruled this morning that in order for police to collect blood from a person suspected of DUI the suspect either has to give specific consent or police need to get a warrant.In other words, if you get stopped driving drunk and cops take your blood without p ... More >>

J. Scott Rhodes, Special Investigator into Andrew Thomas, Withdraws from Case

Another one bites the dust: J. Scott Rhodes​ That was fast.Just one short week after he was appointed to be a special investigator, charged with probing Bar complaints into Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, J. Scott Rhodes has withdrawn from the task.The news came in a written stateme ... More >>

Phil Gordon Payments to Girlfriend Okay, Ex-Chief Justice Finds

We saw this one coming. Elissa Mullany​The lawyer handpicked by Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon's public-relations guy to examine a series of payments the mayor made to his girlfriend using his campaign finance funds -- former Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Zlaket -- has cleared Gordon ... More >>

Banks Suing Governor over Reversal of Controversial "Anti-Deficiency" Law

Remember when we wrote about a bill that could financially devastate homeowners facing foreclosure? Remember when they reversed the bill? Well, it might just be back. Last Monday, the American Bankers Association -- which represents more than 70 banks in the state -- filed a lawsuit with the Arizo ... More >>

Hot Links: Lethal Injections, Tribal Theft, and Jesus In Concrete

A federal judge ruled yesterday that Arizona's lethal-injection procedure is similar to the method approved by the U.S. Supreme Court. Executions have been on hold in Arizona since November 2007, when the Arizona Supreme Court stalled the execution of inmate Jeffrey Landrigan pending a federal decis ... More >>

Governor Brewer Keeps Up Offensive on Budget Bill

Governor Jan Brewer is keeping up the pressure on lawmakers today to send her a budget plan, calling a news conference this morning at 11 a.m. on the steps of the Arizona Supreme Court. Brewer told reporters yesterday she is asking the Supreme Court justices to force State Senate President Bob ... More >>

Lawyer's Bid to Become Judge Shot Down After Typo-Ridden Application Criticized

Experienced elections law attorney Lisa Hauser (pictured) isn't the only applicant to face rejection for an appointment to the Arizona Supreme Court. Seventeen people applied for the vacancy on the high court to be left by outgoing Chief Justice Ruth McGregor, so Hauser had plenty o ... More >>

Hot Links: Disabled Services, Jim Balsillie, and a Butt Stunt

Despite a lawsuit on behalf of the developmentally disabled that challenges a January budget-balancing law, the Arizona Supreme Court declined to review a Court of Appeals ruling that would allow budget cuts in services for disabled people. Among the services that can be cut are various forms of the ... More >>

Sheriff's Office Loses Again in Tucson Citizen Public Records Case; Must Pay Lawyer's Fees

Dennis Wilenchik The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office's refusal to turn over public records as required by the law has once again cost taxpayers. The Arizona Supreme Court announced today it would not consider a 2007 case between the  Tucson Citizen and Sheriff Joe Arpaio. That m ... More >>

Scottsdale to CityNorth: Drop Dead!

Scottsdale Mayor Jim LaneLast month, the Arizona League of Cities and Towns defended the city of Phoenix's $97 million CityNorth subsidy -- going so far as to file an amicus brief asking the Arizona Supreme Court to overturn the appellate decision that struck down the subsidy as unconstitution ... More >>

Gambling Department Director Named by Governor Jan Brewer: Mark Brnovich, Legal Scholar

Goldwater Institute Mark BrnovichLegal scholar, activist, prosecutor and private prison official Mark Brnovich has been appointed director of the Arizona Department of Gaming. Scammers pay heed: This over-achieving barrister is just coming off a stint in the U.S. Attorney's Office in A ... More >>

Arizona's Marijuana-Worshipping Church of Cognizance Seeks a Legal, Spiritual High

courtesy of the Church of Cognizance The seal of the CoC, designed by "The Pope of Pot," Dan Quaintance. Should the State of Arizona carve out an exemption to its marijuana ban for the pot-worshipping, neo-Zoroastrian Church of Cognizance? That was but one of the legal issues at stake during ... More >>

Cities and Towns Win Lawsuit to Block State From Taking Extra Money

The Arizona Supreme Court today ruled that the state cannot collect an additional $30 million from cities and towns to help balance the budget. Back in November, it appeared the lawsuit against the state by the League of Arizona Towns and Cities was on firm footing when we wrote about how Dean ... More >>

Danica Patrick Ignored Scottsdale Photo Enforcement Ticket and Escaped Fine

You may have heard about Scottsdale resident Danica Patrick today, because it's big news when hot, young female race car drivers get speeding tickets. We were going to pass along this tidbit to you with little more than a smokin' picture of Danica, 26, (at left) from her official Web ... More >>

Scottsdale's Photo Enforcement Tickets Lie About Consequences of Failing to Respond

Here's one way to get people to pay their photo enforcement tickets or waive their right to proper service: Lie. That's what the Scottsdale City Court does in tickets generated from its municipal system, which operates speed and red light cameras. As savvy readers know, especially if they've r ... More >>

Video of Alleged Photo Radar Attacker Travis Munroe Townsend

Right off the bat, I have to say that in this video Travis Munroe Townsend, 26, the alleged attacker of a Glendale photo enforcement camera (and, if guilty, an American hero, in my opinion), doesn't look a thing like the photo of him released yesterday by DPS. In that pic, he looked like some blo ... More >>

County Attorney Andrew Thomas fights to seal Wilenchik's State Bar secrets

Dennis the Menace

Arpaio's lawyer can't explain away his fudged résumé

Siege Mentality

County Attorney Andrew Thomas is attempting to capitalize on a national trend by attacking local judges

Loose Lips

Terry Goddard fights for the right to slander the hell out of us all. Sigh

Rizir's Edge

Goofball Shockumentary

Not even Hollywood would bite on this one: Loose Change tells what, heh, really happened on 9/11

Letters

Letters from the week of July 3, 2003

Reconstruction Ring

Off with their heads

Arizona's Juries are proving tougher than judges under a new murder sentencing system

Court House Scoundrels

Unsuspecting consumers are getting ripped off by the hundreds. The Supereme Court is working to stop this unauthorized practice of law.

Retaliatory Tales

Cases from around the state illustrate university employees' unhappy encounters with whistleblowing

Spender Bender

Campaign contributions buy the strangest things

Timely Tim

Despite an unremarkable demeanor, public-interest lawyer Tim Hogan has a nose for trouble and a knack with judges

Flashes

SUSPENDED ANIMATIONPROHIBITED FROM PRACTICING LAW, CUSTODY ATTORNEY BOB HIRSCHFELD WON'T GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT

THE LIFE BEHIND A RACIAL MISTAKE