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Rule 2.11. Disqualification

Arizona Revised Statutes AnnotatedRules of the Supreme Court of ArizonaEffective: September 1, 2019

Arizona Revised Statutes Annotated
Rules of the Supreme Court of Arizona (Refs & Annos)
VII. Judicial Ethics (Refs & Annos)
Rule 81. Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct (Refs & Annos)
Canon 2. A Judge Shall Perform the Duties of Judicial Office Impartially, Competently, and Diligently (Refs & Annos)
Effective: September 1, 2019
A.R.S. Sup.Ct.Rules, Rule 81, Code of Jud.Conduct, Rule 2.11
Rule 2.11. Disqualification
Currentness
(A) A judge shall disqualify himself or herself in any proceeding in which the judge's impartiality might reasonably be questioned, including but not limited to the following circumstances:
(1) The judge has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party or a party's lawyer, or personal knowledge of facts that are in dispute in the proceeding.
(2) The judge knows that the judge, the judge's spouse or domestic partner, or a person within the third degree of relationship to either of them, or the spouse or domestic partner of such a person is:
(a) a party to the proceeding, or an officer, director, general partner, managing member, or trustee of a party;
(b) acting as a lawyer in the proceeding;
(c) a person who has more than a de minimis interest that could be substantially affected by the proceeding; or
(d) likely to be a material witness in the proceeding.
(3) The judge knows that he or she, individually or as a fiduciary, or the judge's spouse, domestic partner, parent, or child, or any other member of the judge's family residing in the judge's household, has an economic interest, as defined by this code or Arizona law, in the subject matter in controversy or in a party to the proceeding.
(4) The judge knows or learns by means of a timely motion that a party, a party's lawyer, or the law firm of a party's lawyer has within the previous four years made aggregate contributions to the judge's campaign in an amount that is greater than the amounts permitted pursuant to A.R.S. ยง 16-905.
(5) The judge, while a judge or a judicial candidate, has made a public statement, other than in a court proceeding, judicial decision, or opinion, that commits or appears to commit the judge to reach a particular result or rule in a particular way in the proceeding or controversy.
(6) The judge:
(a) served as a lawyer in the matter in controversy, or was associated with a lawyer in the preceding four years who participated substantially as a lawyer in the matter during such association;
(b) served in governmental employment, and in such capacity participated personally and substantially as a lawyer or public official concerning the proceeding, or has publicly expressed in such capacity an opinion concerning the merits of the particular matter in controversy;
(c) was a material witness concerning the matter; or
(d) previously presided as a judge over the matter in another court.
(B) A judge shall keep reasonably informed about the judge's personal and fiduciary economic interests, and make a reasonable effort to keep informed about the personal economic interests of the judge's spouse or domestic partner and minor children residing in the judge's household.
(C) A judge subject to disqualification under this rule, other than for bias or prejudice under paragraph (A)(1), may disclose on the record the basis of the judge's disqualification and may ask the parties and their lawyers to consider, outside the presence of the judge and court personnel, whether to waive disqualification. If, following the disclosure, the parties and lawyers agree, without participation by the judge or court personnel, that the judge should not be disqualified, the judge may participate in the proceeding. The agreement shall be incorporated into the record of the proceeding.
(D) Official communications received in the course of performing judicial functions as well as information gained through training programs and from experience do not in themselves create a basis for disqualification.

Credits

Added June 2, 2009, effective Sept. 1, 2009.
17A Pt. 2 A. R. S. Sup. Ct. Rules, Rule 81, Code of Jud. Conduct, Rule 2.11, AZ ST S CT RULE 81 CJC Rule 2.11
State Court Rules are current with amendments received through November 15, 2023. The Code of Judicial Administration is current with amendments received through November 1, 2023.
End of Document