Arizona Law Archives - Page 24 of 32

US Supreme Court May Hear Arizona Sanctions Law Appeal

Arizona Republic: “The U.S. Supreme Court has indicated it is interested in hearing an appeal from business groups that, for the past two years, have been trying to have Arizona’s controversial employer-sanctions law thrown out. The sanctions law, which punishes companies for hiring illegal immigrants and requires all Arizona employers to use a federal electronic system to verify the work status of employees, has been upheld by two lower courts.

Public Asked for Input on Candidates for Arizona Court of Appeals

October 20, 2009, press release from the Arizona Supreme Court:

The Commission on Appellate Court Appointments is asking for public comment on six candidates for an opening on Division Two of the Arizona Court of Appeals created by the appointment of Chief Judge John Pelander to the Arizona Supreme Court. The candidates are: Christina M. Cabanillas, Gary J. Cohen, Virginia C. Kelly, Michael O. Miller, Etheridge H. Smith and Christopher L. Straub.

Their applications for the office can be viewed online at the commission’s website, http://supreme.state.az.us/jnc.

The commission will meet in Tucson in the Ocotillo Room of the Hotel Arizona, 181 West Broadway, starting at 10:00 a.m. on November 4. Citizens may address the commission about any of the candidates at 10:00 a.m. on November 4 at that location.

Public comment will only be accepted at the 10:00 hearing. Interviews of the candidates are open to the public and will begin at 11:00. Written comments can be sent to 1501 W. Washington, Suite 221, Phoenix, AZ 85007 or by e-mail to [email protected]. Comments should be received no later than October 30 to be considered. Anonymous comments cannot be considered.

After the interviews the commission will recommend at least three nominees for the vacancy to Governor Jan Brewer, who will appoint the new judge.

Arizona Supreme Court Says Metadata is Public Record

Arizona Republic: “In a major public-records victory, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Thursday that government agencies must release hidden data embedded in electronic documents that provides greater insight into the actions of government agencies. The court found that electronic records are no different than paper records and must be released to the public in their native form. The Arizona ruling is among the first appellate-court decisions to address the question and could set a precedent on public-records laws nationally.”

See Law.com: “Ariz. Supreme Court Sees the Metadata.” See also the story in the New York Times called “Ariz. Court Rules Records Law Covers ‘Metadata.'”

9th Circuit Won’t Review Arizona Tuition Tax Credits Case

Courthouse News: “The 9th Circuit . . . refused to reconsider its reinstatement of a lawsuit challenging an Arizona scholarship program funded by tax credits. Taxpayers said the program funnels public money into religious schools in violation of the Constitution’s separation of church and state. The program, established by the state Legislature in 1997, gives taxpayers a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for contributions to “school tuition organizations,” or private nonprofit groups that allocate at least 90 percent of their funds to tuition grants and scholarships.”

Arizona Gives Records to Parents Suing Over Nude Kid-Pics

Arizona Republic: “After initially ignoring a request for public records, the state Attorney General’s Office has released a stack of documents to a Peoria couple suing the state over an investigation into whether they had sexually abused their daughters. Defense attorneys for the state and Richard Treon, who represents Lisa and Anthony ‘A.J.’ Demaree, were in court Monday over accusations that the state was withholding and secretly altering records that would clear the Demarees.”

The Demaree’s temporarily lost custody of their children after Wal-Mart reported to authorities that the parents gave Wal-Mart nude pictures of the couple’s young children to develop.