Disbarment Of Former Prosecutor Affirmed By Arizona Supreme Court

The Arizona Supreme Court has disbarred former Maricopa County prosecutor Lisa  Aubuchon in an appeal from an order of disbarment by a disciplinary panel.

The court rejected claims that (i) the attorney had been denied procedural due process in the pre-complaint investigation, (ii) the application of new proceduresviolated the ex post facto clause of the United States Constitution, (iii) denial of an informal recusal request directed toward the presiding disciplinary judge, and (iv) failure to allow character witnesses.

The court’s September 17, 2013 opinion affirmed some findings of misconduct and rejected others, concluding that the most serious violations involved filing a criminal complaint against a judge. (Mike Frisch)