Mark Meadows, President Donald Trump’s Chiefs of Staff in the White House in late 2020, will continue to face criminal charges in Arizona state court. U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi today declined to accept Meadows’ effort to remove the case to federal court.In a 15-page Order, Tuchi finds that Meadows filed his Notice of Removal more than two weeks past the deadline, and did not present good cause for that tardiness. Meadows had claimed that he was waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Trump immunity case. However, Tuchi decided that that was not a reason…
Continue Reading BREAKING: Mark Meadows' Criminal Charges In Arizona REMAIN in State Court, Federal Judge Rules (READ Order)

The Arizona Supreme Court DISMISSED in quick order a Special Action Petition filed by the Arizona Republican Party challenging two election-related Executive Orders issued last year by Governor Katie Hobbs. The Executive Orders encouraged Arizona counties to make use of state facilities for polling places and drop boxes.Chief Justice Ann Timmer’s Order scolded the party for not justifying filing the action directly with the Supreme Court, and for why it waited so long after the Executive Orders were issued. The attorney for the AZGOP was Andrew Gould, one of Timmer’s former colleagues on the Supreme Court bench.The Court concludes that…
Continue Reading BREAKING: AZ Supreme Court THROWS OUT AZ Republican Party Action Challenging Hobbs' Executive Orders Encouraging Polling Places & Drop Boxes

Mohave County Supervisor Ron Gould cannot get legal immunity in advance for voting to hand count all upcoming election ballots. His lawsuit against Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes was dismissed today by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Brad Astrowsky.Gould filed the declaratory judgment action early this year, after Mayes had advised the Mohave County Board that conducting a full hand count would be against Arizona laws (that Gould had helped shape as a former lawmaker).The case was dismissed before trial because Gould’s rights as one Supervisor were not yet impacted (because his fellow Supervisors voted against a full hand…
Continue Reading BREAKING: Mohave County Supervisor Ron Gould Strikes Out On Hand Count Case Against AG Mayes (READ Minute Entry)

A semi-retired Arizona Supreme Court Justice and two other retired Arizona judges comprise the highest level of arbitrators in a privately-owned, semi-autonomous, Ayn Rand-inspired city on a Honduran island. The New York Times Magazine reports this week that “Próspera” also is in a battle for survival with the current Honduran government.Retired Justice John Pelander is one of the three “Senior Arbiters” for the Próspera Arbitration Center and heads the “Appellate Division”. PAC is essentially the judicial branch for the ZEDE (“Zone for Employment and Economic Development”) “backed by the Silicon Valley billionaires Peter Thiel, Sam Altman and Marc Andreessen”. Earlier…
Continue Reading SITTING ON TWO BENCHES: Arizona's 2nd Supreme Court Is Based In… Honduras? Arizona Semi-Retired Justice, Judges Are Only Senior Arbiters In "Precarious" Semi-Autonomous City

The Arizona Supreme Court has now blessed the Republican Legislative Council’s “impartial analysis” of both citizens’ initiatives appearing on November’s ballot. After previously allowing “unborn human being” instead of “fetus”, the Justices today reversed the Superior Court judge’s decision that the analysis “misleadingly” elevates and characterizes the ranked choice voting provisions of the Open Primaries (aka Make Elections Fair Arizona) initiative.(This is a developing story. Please check back later for more details.)
This article was reported by AZ Law founder Paul Weich. “AZ Law” includes articles, commentaries and updates about opinions from the Arizona Supreme Court, U.S. Supreme Court, …
Continue Reading BREAKING: AZ Supreme Court Blesses Leg Council's Analysis Of Open Primaries' Initiative Focusing On RCV Provision, REVERSES Trial Court (READ Decision)

The plot thickened this afternoon, as Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. turned in a purported 110,000 signatures to get on the Arizona General Election ballot, but listed a home address in New York that a judge in that state found to be a “sham” address.While Arizona does not require a Presidential candidate to live in New York, Kennedy did sign the nomination paper attesting that the Katonah address is his “actual residence address”.The nomination paper will likely be one of the bases for filing a legal challenge to keep him off the Arizona ballot. Arizona – unlike…
Continue Reading BREAKING: Robert F. Kennedy FILES Arizona Paperwork, Lists Same New York Residence Found To Be "Sham" Address; Says He Turned In 110,000 Signatures

Several Responses were filed with the U.S. Supreme Court this afternoon opposing Republican legislative leaders’ attempt to force Arizona counties to REJECT any state voter registration applications filed between now and October if they do not provide documentary proof of citizenship (instead of just swearing to be a citizen).(Assigned) Justice Elena Kagan is expected to decide next week whether or not to order compliance with the 2022 bills that added the requirement. She could also ask the entire bench to decide the on-again, off-again stay of an injunction against the provisions.The request to permit the prohibition was filed last…
Continue Reading NEW UPDATE: Arizona Battle Over Documentary Proof of Citizenship to Register to Vote JOINED At the U.S. Supreme Court

If you’re an Arizona’s Law reader and/or paying attention elsewhere, you are aware of the wave of Arizona Supreme Court Justice recusals that has been building. Today, it crashed to the shore with a decision in one of the abortion rights measure cases and with recusals in two more cases (below).In two of the four election-related cases with recusals, retired Justices were called in to come off the bench… and get on the bench.The Court wants Arizonans to have confidence in the judicial system, including this recusal/replacement system. Arizona’s Law had questions for new Chief Justice Ann Timmer, and…
Continue Reading OFF THE BENCH, ON THE BENCH: AZ Supreme Court Recusal Merry-Go-Round Picks Up Speed and Chief Justice Timmer Explains How It Works, and How One Retired Justice Got Both Abortion Cases

 In a long-awaited decision, a Superior Court judge today DENIED a lawsuit filed to use public records laws to obtain the identities of all Maricopa County elections employees who worked with verifying ballot envelope signatures. Judge Scott Blaney found that there are “legitimate security concerns” if the identities of lower level and non-managerial employees were released.The “We the People Arizona Alliance” will also be responsible for Maricopa County’s attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in defending the suit. The judge declined to consider whether We the People attorney Bryan Blehm handled the evidentiary hearing while under suspension by the State Bar of…
Continue Reading BREAKING: Judge DENIES Public Records Request For Elections Employees' Identities Due To "Legitimate Security Concerns", Awards Maricopa County Its Attorneys' Fees

Former Trump/Giuliani attorney Jenna Ellis has “flipped” and agreed to testify against fellow defendants in Arizona’s “Fake Electors” case; in return, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has agreed to dismiss all charges against her*.Also, in the case today, Judge Bruce Cohen slapped Republican legislative leaders Ben Toma and Warren Petersen for filing unnecessarily inflammatory arguments against Mayes. He agreed to consider their friend of the court (“amicus”) brief about the new anti-SLAPP provisions that form the basis for the defendants’ Motions to Dismiss.Mayes hinted about the Ellis Cooperation Agreement on Friday in an interview, but released it today (below).
Continue Reading BREAKING: Jenna Ellis Flips, Agrees To Testify Against Other Defendants In "Fake Electors" Case; Judge Scolds Toma/Petersen For Gratuitous Attacks On AG Mayes

Arizona would gain two new federal judgeships under a bill passed unanimously by the Senate today. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is one of the 17 co-sponsors. However, if a companion bill passed earlier this year is not signed into law, Arizona could LOSE a judge in 2025.If the bill passes the House and is signed by President Biden, Arizona would gain a judge – to be appointed by the President elected in November – in 2027, and a second judgeship in 2031. The bill would create 66 judges nationally, in five stages, beginning next year.Additionally, another Senate-passed bill that…
Continue Reading BREAKING, GAIN TWO OR LOSE ONE? Arizona Would Gain 2 New Federal Judges In Bill Passed Unanimously By Senate Today; AZ Sen. Mark Kelly a Co-Sponsor

(UPDATE, 1:20pm: The article has been updated to reflect that state Sen. Shawnna Bolick is one of the Appellants because she is a member of the Legislative Council.)Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick recused himself yesterday from hearing the expedited appeal on whether the official ballot language for Prop. 139 – the abortion rights measure – should use the phrase “unborn human being” to describe what the proposed constitutional language calls a “fetus”.The Court also set the expedited briefing schedule for the ballot language case, with all briefing to take place next week and for a subsequent…
Continue Reading FIRST TO STEP ASIDE: Supreme Court Justice Bolick RECUSES From Abortion Rights Prop. 139 Language Appeal; Montgomery Next?

Interesting battles are continuing in Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer’s defamation case against Kari Lake, and the judge has promised a quick ruling on whether Lake, her husband and her entities have disclosed all of the relevant individuals.Superior Court Judge Randall Warner also indicated that he would soon be ruling on whether Lake attorney Jennifer Wright can withdraw from the case – a move that Richer’s attorneys oppose.A brief status conference was held this morning on the discovery matters. Last week, the judge ruled that Richer can pursue broad discovery to help them prepare for the hearing later this…
Continue Reading UPDATE: Richer and Lake Attorneys Agree To Extend Discovery In Defamation Case For 3-4 Months; Battle Over Whether Lake Attorney Jen Wright Can Leave Case