Olivia Cortes, who faced a lawsuit claiming she was a sham candidate, withdrew today from the recall election targeting Senate President Russell Pearce.

Her withdrawal from the high-profile race was part of a deal she made to avoid having to face another court hearing on Friday in which more witnesses were expected to link her candidacy with Pearce supporters.

A judge has scheduled a Friday hearing to allow new witnesses to testify in a lawsuit that seeks to disqualify the candidacy of a Mesa woman whose critics say is in the race to help Senate President Russell Pearce keep his seat. Election Attorney Thomas Ryan, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of a Pearce critic, plans to call more witnesses during a 3:30 p.m. evidentiary hearing.

Groups representing teachers and public school districts filed suit on Monday against a new state voucher-style system for disabled students, alleging that the program violates constitutional bans on state aid for private and religious schools.

A lawsuit challenging a woman's candidacy in the Nov. 8 recall election of Senate President Russell Pearce may be in jeopardy because some ballots have been mailed to voters, an attorney said Monday.

An East Valley resident today accused Republican Olivia Cortes of being part of a “cynical ploy” to dilute the vote against Senate President Russell Pearce, who is facing a Nov. 8 recall election. In her complaint filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, Mary Lou Boettcher alleges that Cortes is a Pearce supporter and called her a “fraudulent and diversionary candidate.”

Attorney General Tom Horne’s Voting Rights Act lawsuit may spur a wave of retaliatory civil suits, but experts say those who are likely to sue would have a difficult time convincing a judge they’ve been wronged.

The Arizona Court of Appeals has scheduled oral arguments for Oct. 19 in the lawsuit against cuts to the state’s Medicaid system.

The state’s highest court will hear a challenge to the recall election targeting Senate President Russell Pearce.

The Maricopa County Sheriff Office's former chief deputy and an ex-deputy county attorney have filed another version of their lawsuit against the county and state.

Navajo Nation officials hit with a civil lawsuit alleging they used tribal money as personal slush funds and mismanaged outside funding are concerned that the complaint could impact their ability to access the capital market for a long list of unfinished projects.