It’s time for a new direction in sexual offense policy
At a time when the American Law Institute, virtually all available research and a growing body of public and professional opinion reflects the reality that our current sexual offense policies do not work, it is important for Arizona to take a new direction.
A misused narrative: the real two-tiered justice system
There's been a disquieting narrative circulating in our political sphere. It's the claim that we live under a two-tiered justice system, but how it is framed isn’t accurate. This talking point, oft-repeated by Republican politicians and pundits, uses the perceived differences between the legal experiences of former President Donald Trump and the son of current President Joe Biden as evidence of [...]
Senate Minority leader leaves leadership to run for Congress
Sen. Minority Leader Raquel Terán, D-Phoenix, is stepping down from her leadership role in the Senate to run for Congressman Ruben Gallego, D-AZ's, congressional seat.
Darcy Olsen: A new generation of justice for foster kids
Even after seven years as a foster parent, Darcy Olsen still gets teary eyed talking about the children who have come into her life. Not just for those the system has failed but also for the success stories.
Supreme Court Justice Ann Scott Timmer: Fourth of a kind
Only four women have served on the Arizona Supreme Court. But Justice Ann Scott Timmer found the one silver lining to the state’s gross underrepresentation at its highest court: “The good news is I’m in the top five of all time.”
Clemency board at risk of lawsuit for unfulfilled obligation, seeks additional funding
The Arizona Board of Executive Clemency is requesting about $34,000 to fund a part-time position needed to conduct probable cause hearings – an obligation the board has not fulfilled since funding was cut in 2010.
Lindsay Herf: Finding holes in America’s justice system
Lindsay Herf’s mission in life is to find the holes in our justice system. As executive director of the Arizona Justice Project, she leads efforts to investigate claims of innocence.
Death row thinning in Arizona, nationally – reasons vary
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ most recent data – accounting for prisoners under sentence of death as of December 31, 2015 – Arizona did see its first uptick in death row inmates in five years with the addition of two inmates in 2015. But that runs counter to the slow yet steady decline of the state’s death row.
Farnsworth remains silent on killing popular court bills
Republican Rep. Eddie Farnsworth single-handedly ended much of the Arizona Supreme Court’s legislative efforts at giving poor people a break in the justice system.
Sponsor calls for more diversity as governor signs Supreme Court expansion
Gov. Doug Ducey will have an unprecedented opportunity to stack the Arizona Supreme Court with his own appointments before his first term is halfway finished after signing legislation adding two new justices to the bench.
Commission recommends $15,000 raise for judges
The commission that recommends salaries for lawmakers, executive officials and judges is hoping members of Arizona’s judiciary won’t have to go a full decade without a pay raise.
Judicial imbalance
Relatively few private attorneys want to become judges in Arizona
Stagnant salaries and diminished retirement benefits keep private attorneys from joining Arizona’s bench, which is becoming unbalanced by increasing numbers of former government lawyers, said a lobbyist for Arizona judges.