Arizona

Grand jury nixes criminal case against attorney in fatal shooting of another motorist

A grand jury has declined to file criminal charges against an Arizona attorney who admittedly shot another motorist to death in a drugstore parking lot in 2011 and called 911 from the scene. David Appleton, a Scottsdale practitioner, claimed self-defense, and a spokesman says the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office does…

Jan 24, 2013 8:15 PM CST

City worker says she was fired because hubby is a biker, seeks reinstatement

A lawyer for an employee for the city of Kingman, Ariz., says she was fired in violation of her constitutional right to freedom of association because her husband is a member of a biker club. Melissa Summerson is now seeking reinstatement through an administrative hearing process, with the help of…

Jan 14, 2013 5:40 PM CST

New Prosecutor in Arizona’s Pinal County Fires Nine Lawyers, Three Others

Some call it the “Pinal County Massacre.” Nine lawyers and three other employees working for the Pinal County Attorney’s office lost their jobs this week when Lando Voyles took over the top job there, the Arizona Republic reports. Voyles is defending the firings in a statement that refers to his…

Jan 4, 2013 5:20 PM CST

Detroit’s Dickinson Wright Merges with 60-Lawyer Arizona-Based Mariscal Weeks

A midsize Detroit-based law firm has merged with Arizona’s Mariscal Weeks McIntyre & Friedlander. With the addition of the 60 new lawyers, Dicksinson Wright now has 350 to 400 attorneys on its roster, according to Crain’s Detroit Business and MLive.com. The merger was announced in a Wednesday press release.

Jan 2, 2013 10:12 PM CST

Arizona Judge Ponders Jurisdiction in Divorce Case of Pregnant Man

An Arizona judge is considering whether he has jurisdiction to grant a divorce to a transgender male who married a woman and then gave birth to three children. Judge Douglas Gerlach of Maricopa County is considering the issue in the case of Thomas Beatie, the Arizona Republic reports. Beatie says…

Dec 13, 2012 2:54 PM CST

Arizona Supreme Court OKs Proposal to Allow 3Ls to Take Bar Exam

Arizona will allow third-year law students to take the bar exam in February under a three-year experimental program approved on Monday by the Arizona Supreme Court. The Supreme Court order (PDF) approved an amended rule paving the way for the pilot program. Arizona is now the only state that currently…

Dec 12, 2012 2:28 PM CST

Arizona Law Schools Back Proposal to Allow 3Ls to Take the Bar Exam

The Arizona Supreme Court is scheduled to consider a proposal Wednesday to allow third-year law students to take the bar exam before graduation. All three law schools in Arizona support the proposal, the National Law Journal reports. If the idea is approved, Arizona would become the only state to allow…

Dec 4, 2012 12:00 PM CST

Arizona Suit Challenges Driver’s License Restrictions For Immigrant Youths

A group of civil and immigrant rights organizations challenged an executive order by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Thursday which denies driver’s licenses to some youths who recently received immigration relief and work permits under the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The suit argues that the order is…

Nov 30, 2012 10:35 PM CST

Federal Judge: Goodyear, Lawyers Must Pay Plaintiff’s Legal Fees, Provide Sanctions Order to Others

Finding that a major corporation and two lawyers representing the company blatantly ignored or evaded their discovery obligations and comparing a hard-fought products liability action to the endless Jarndyce and Jarndyce case described in Charles Dickens’ Bleak House, a federal judge in Arizona has ordered Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.…

Nov 16, 2012 3:45 PM CST

Ariz. Sheriff Arpaio Re-Elected, Says He Wants to ‘Get Together with the Latino Community’

Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joseph Arpaio, known nationally for his strict enforcement of laws targeting illegal immigrants, was elected to his sixth term this week. CNN reported that when Arpaio addressed supporters Tuesday night, he said one of his missions this term is to meet with Latinos. “I would hope…

Nov 8, 2012 8:00 PM CST

Man Who Shot Rep. Giffords, Killed Chief Judge Roll & 5 Others Is Sentenced to Life in Prison

The Arizona man who admitted going on a shooting rampage in January 2011 that left Chief U.S. District Judge John Roll and five others dead and seriously wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was sentenced to life in prison Thursday. After hearing from victims, U.S. District Judge Larry Burns sentenced Jared…

Nov 8, 2012 7:56 PM CST

Critical of Claims Based on ‘Sheer Speculation’, Federal Judge Nixes Suit Against Billionaire Banker

A federal judge in New York has tossed a fraud lawsuit that alleged a banker conspired with others to forge the signature of a dying cousin to protect a ranch in Arizona from a creditor. U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in Manhattan characterized aspects of the suit against Herbert A.…

Sep 28, 2012 11:02 AM CDT

Federal Judge Says Ariz. Can Enforce ‘Show Papers’ Law; Top Pa. Court Calls for More Voter ID Review

Ruling this week on a controversial state law requiring individuals to provide identification, a federal judge in Arizona has OK’d a so-called “show me your papers” provision allowing authorities to check the identities of those thought to be possible illegal immigrants. However, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has asked a Commonwealth…

Sep 19, 2012 9:23 PM CDT

IG Report Blames DOJ Prosecutors, ATF Agents for ‘Fast and Furious,’ Seeks Discipline Probe of 14

In a scathing report made public Wednesday about the botched Operation Fast and Furious federal gun trafficking investigation, an inspector general of the U.S. Department of Justice called for disciplinary reviews of 14 current and former employees. In the report (PDF), inspector general Michael Horowitz put primary blame on what…

Sep 19, 2012 8:45 PM CDT

Woman Groped by Cop Objects to Judge’s Advice on Visiting Bars and Grocery Stores

An Arizona judge has apologized for her courtroom advice on the perils of visiting bars, given to a woman who was groped by an off-duty police officer. Judge Jacqueline Hatch of Coconino County sentenced the officer, Robb Gary Evans, to probation after jurors found him guilty of sexual abuse, the…

Sep 10, 2012 10:30 AM CDT