William O'Neil

Rachel Alexander, Broke Right-Wing Blogger With Suspended Law License, Finds Suckers to Pay Cat's Surgery Bill

Conservative blogger and disgraced Arizona lawyer Rachel Alexander announced on Monday that she'd raised enough money from her right-wing readers to save the life of her cat, Buckley. But a closer look at Alexander's previous writings shows that Buckley's life had already been saved. Alexander just ... More >>

The Feds Proved Themselves a Cage of Cowardly Lions in the Arpaio Investigation

Rachel Alexander Sells Stuff, Heads to Seattle; Still Appealing AZ Law-License Suspension

Rachel Alexander has put her major appliances up for sale and apparently moved to Seattle, but is still appealing the suspension of her law license in Arizona. The conservative blogger and disgraced lawyer seemed to have blown her chance at the appeal back in June after failing to turn in her openi ... 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 >>

Rachel Alexander Blows Her Appeal of Law-License Suspension With Late Filing

Rachel Alexander, the right-wing blogger and ex-prosecutor under former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, has blown her chance to appeal her law-license suspension by failing to file her opening brief on time. The former deputy county attorney had her license suspended in April for six months ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Exploits Victims of Probate-Court Scandals in Apparent Attempt to Gain Sympathy After Disbarment

Andrew Thomas is a failed politician in serious need of good publicity.After being disbarred in April for unethical acts as Maricopa County Attorney, Thomas also wants to strike back at the judiciary system, which he feels screwed him over.So now, he's putting himself on public display as the face o ... More >>

Mark Dixon Disses Disciplinary Judge William O'Neil, Who He Says was a "Close" Friend, in Affidavit Filed by Lisa Aubuchon

Mark Dixon of Casa Grande is ticked off at Arizona Supreme Court Disciplinary Judge William O'Neil, that much is clear.O'Neil, former presiding judge for the Pinal County Superior Court, had the contractor come out to his property to do maintenance and they had a "very close friendship," according t ... More >>

Lisa Aubuchon's Disbarment Stay Denied; "Staggering Mountain of Wrongdoing," Judge Writes

A "staggering mountain of wrongdoing" by former county prosecutor Lisa Aubuchon was cited by a judge as one general reason to deny her request for stay of disbarment.Aubuchon and her former boss, ex-County Attorney Andrew Thomas, were disbarred on April 10 for a series of ethical violations related ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Could Be Hit With $296,000 Bill for Disciplinary Proceedings

Andrew Thomas could be forced to pay $296,300 for the disciplinary proceeding that resulted in his disbarment. A three-member state Supreme Court disciplinary panel decided to disbar the former Maricopa County Attorney and deputy prosecutor Lisa Aubuchon after a lengthy investigation and weeks of h ... More >>

Andy Thomas Needs a Perp Walk With His Papi, Sheriff Joe Arpaio

Andrew Thomas Compares Himself to Gandhi and Martin Luther King in Press Conference

Disbarred, disgraced and unrepentant, former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas compared himself to such men of conscience as Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as he addressed reporters this morning in downtown Phoenix, one day after being stripped of his license to practice law by ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Violated Rules on Some Ethical Charges, Panel Concludes; Former Maricopa County Attorney and Former Deputy, Lisa Aubuchon, Face Disbarment

Andrew Thomas, former Maricopa County Attorney, violated several ethical rules, a state Supreme Court panel has found. William O'Neil, State Disciplinary Judge, is now reading the summary of the panel's conclusions. Some charges are being upheld, others are being dismissed. Thomas and his ... More >>

Andy Thomas UPDATE: Some Heroes Did Emerge In This Creepy Cautionary Tale

Today's written ruling by the three-person panel that calls for the disbarment of former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and his "special assistant" Lisa Aubuchon should be mandatory reading, and not just for lawyers.It is profound in fact and happens to be beautifully written.One example of ... More >>

Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio's "Unholy Collaboration" Abused Justice - Yet Arpaio's Skating Toward Re-Election

If the state Supreme Court had a disciplinary panel for sheriffs, Joe Arpaio would in all likelihood be stripped of his ability to practice law enforcement.Yet Arpaio continues to skate toward re-election despite his role in many of the same actions that got his former ally, ex-Maricopa County ... More >>

Andrew Thomas, Lisa Aubuchon Discipline to be Revealed in April 10 Hearing

The findings of the State Bar of Arizona's Disciplinary Panel into alleged ethical violations by former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas will be announced during an April 10 hearing.The three-member discipline panel led by State Bar Disciplinary Judge William O'Neil will take place at 9 a.m. o ... More >>

Tom Horne's Pal Carmen Chenal's Bar File Partially Sealed by Judge

It's been a while since I first wrote about Attorney General Tom Horne's close friend Carmen Chenal's problems with the State Bar of Arizona and her being hired by the Arizona Attorney General's Office as an attorney in the criminal division, at a salary of $108,000.Chenal is one of many cronie ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Judgment Day May be Delayed Until April 2

A ruling on potential punishment for former Maricopa Attorney Andrew Thomas may be put off until April 2.Citing the extensive filings and thousands of pages of exhibits in the ethics case, Arizona State Bar Disciplinary Judge William O'Neil decided to extend the time to make the ruling by 30 days.&n ... More >>

Grant Goodman, Disgraced Local Attorney, Shot Down By Appellate Court

Grant Goodman, a Phoenix (now suspended) attorney who had his 15 minutes of fame a few years ago as an alleged champion of local folks being abused by their legal guardians/conservators and by the Maricopa County Probate Court, has lost yet another case--his own.   ​  In a memoran ... More >>

State Bar Disciplinary Hearing Officially Concludes for Andrew Thomas and Underlings; Decision Expected by March

Andrew Thomas will wait until March to find out if his law license will be yanked.​ The Arizona State Bar's disciplinary proceeding against former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and two of his former employees wrapped up today. The three-man panel that oversaw the case is expected ... 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 >>

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Testifying Now -- Here's the Link

Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Washington D.C. lawyer Robert Driscoll, who helped the sheriff work on the racketeering case against county officials.​ We just wanted to make sure y'all had the link to watch Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio testify this morning in the State Bar disciplinary proceedin ... More >>

Attorney Mark Goldman's Testimony in Andrew Thomas Hearings Contradicts 2010 Statements to New Times

Mark Goldman, seen here in a screen shot from today's hearing in former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas' disciplinary proceeding, appears to have gotten his memory back.​Valley attorney Mark Goldman must have taken a memory pill since we last talked to him.   In today's testimony ... More >>

Ed Moriarity, Lisa Aubuchon's Pro-Bono Lawyer in Bar Discipline Case, Makes for Good Theater -- but Not Good Defense

​Ed Moriarity, Lisa Aubuchon's pro-bono lawyer from Montana, has helped represent celebrity clients from Imelda Marcos to Karen Silkwood.According to his former partner, Gerry Spence, Moriarity was born in a mineshaft.Since his opening statement in the State Bar disciplinary hearings for former Ma ... More >>

Andrew Thomas, Lisa Aubuchon and Rachel Alexander: The Disbarment Hearings

John Gleason, a state-appointed investigator, began opening statements this morning in the disciplinary hearings against former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas.​ The hearings that may result in the disbarment of former Maricopa County Andrew Thomas begin this morning with opening state ... More >>

Andrew Thomas and Lisa Aubuchon's Defense in Disbarment Hearing Looks Weak in Opening Statements

Image: Ray SternAndrew Thomas wasn't at today's State Bar disciplinary hearing -- which was probably a good thing for his ego.​ Did a cabal of county supervisors, judges, lawyers and others work together to block legit police investigations into allegations of public corruption?Or did a poli ... More >>

Grant Goodman, Attorney, Gets Law License Suspended For Exploiting "Vulnerable" Probate Court Clients

​Local attorney Grant Goodman had his law license suspended for five years following a finding that he habitually exploited "vulnerable" Probate Court clients.In an order signed yesterday by William O'Neil, the presiding disciplinary judge for the Arizona State Bar, Goodman's actions are described ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Submits Grand Jury Transcripts From Stapley and Wilcox Cases in Bar Discipline Case; Documents Sealed

Image: Courtroom pool cameraAndrew Thomas, former Maricopa County Attorney, is preparing for his upcoming hearing this fall before the State Bar's Presiding Disciplinary Judge. He could lose his law license.​ In preparation for his upcoming discipline hearing this fall, former Maricopa County ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Ethics Hearing: Date Still Not Set, Judge Pushing for Fall

1977 called...it was in regards to Andrew Thomas' former mustache.​There's still no date set for a hearing regarding ethics complaints filed against former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and two of his former deputies, but the judge presiding over the case says it probably will ... More >>

Andrew Thomas and Lisa Aubuchon Should be Disbarred, State Investigator Finds

  Andrew Thomas now faces possible disbarment.​Maybe tailing the investigator for the Arizona State Supreme Court was a bad idea. A probable-cause panelist for the state high court, spurred by a report from investigator John Gleason, has ordered disciplinary procedures ... More >>

Pinal County Judge William O'Neil Becomes Arizona's First Presiding Disciplinary Judge

  William O'Neil has been named as the state's first Presiding Disciplinary Judge.​Whuu-chhh!   There's a new Disciplinary Judge in town. And he's looking to break in his whip on the backs of Arizona's worst lawyers. As part of a sweeping change in attorney-discipline ... More >>

Beginning of End for Thomas' Conspiracy Theory? Pinal County Judge Stays Criminal Case of Judge Donahoe

A Pinal County judge has put the criminal case of Maricopa County Judge Gary Donahoe on hold until the state Supreme Court figures out what should be done with it. An article in the Arizona Republic this evening says the stay will be effective until March, when the Arizona Supreme Court considers D ... More >>

Judge Donahoe Criminal Case Assigned to Pinal County Judge; Stapley and Wilcox Cases Assigned to Pima County Judge

The presiding judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court has assigned the criminal cases of Judge Gary Donahoe and County Supervisors Don Stapley and Mary Rose Wilcox to judges in other counties. ​Presiding Judge Barbara Mundell, (left) who is herself a target of the broad -- and vague -- ra ... More >>

Court strikes down Pinal's $200,000 outdoor-dancing fine against San Tan Flat

A Vision Gone Bust

Police have ripped up Leo Mercado's "sacramental" peyote garden. His claim that he has constitutional rights to use the drug for religious purposes may be shredded next.