The Arizona Department of Corrections has asked an appeals court to throw out a contempt-of-court ruling against its director and a $1.4 million fine against the state for failing to adequately improve health care for the 33,000 inmates in state-run prisons.

The union representing Arizona prison guards joined an inmate rights group Tuesday to demand that the state immediately fix security problems that they say led to an inmate's death and the severe beating of two guards.

The Arizona Department of Corrections has picked a new company to provide health care at its 10 state-run prisons.

A judge presiding in a legal settlement over the quality of health care in Arizona's prisons has raised the possibility of throwing out the four-year agreement and resuming litigation over inmate care because of the state's pervasive noncompliance with the deal.

Lawyers who filed a lawsuit challenging the quality of health care in Arizona's prisons are seeking $1.6 million in additional legal fees and other costs in enforcing a 2014 settlement that they say the state has repeatedly resisted.

Arizona Corrections Director Charles Ryan is appealing a ruling that found him in civil contempt of court and fined the state $1.4 million for failing to adequately improve health care for inmates.

Arizona saw seven governors come and go in the time it took Arnold v. Sarn to resolve, and another case that addresses a forgotten population – prisoners and their health care – began.

A judge overseeing a class-action lawsuit over the quality of health care in Arizona's prisons says he will issue a judgment against the state for failing to adequately overhaul its health care system for inmates.

With potential sanctions for his agency’s failure to meet court-ordered prison health care standards looming, Arizona Department of Corrections Director Charles Ryan laid the blame largely at the feet of private contractor Corizon Correctional Healthcare.

A judge overseeing a class-action lawsuit over the quality of health care in Arizona's prisons will hold hearings this week to determine whether to fine the state for falling short in improving care for prisoners.