Arpaio the Vexatious Litigant.

Vexatious litigation: A legal action or proceeding initiated maliciously and without Probable Cause by an individual who is not acting in Good Faith for the purpose of annoying or embarrassing an opponent.

When perpetrated by those in public office, it's a huge waste of tax dollars, too...

-----------------------from Courthouse News Service-------------------

Arpaio's War on his Bosses Continues

By JAMIE ROSS
June 28, 2010

PHOENIX (CN) - Sheriff Joe Arpaio has sued his bosses again, claiming the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has a conflict of interest in choosing his lawyers. It's at least the ninth time the self-described "America's toughest sheriff" has sued his bosses in the past 3 years.

The board established its own "in-house law firms" in December 2008 after it decided that "then-County Attorney Andrew P. Thomas allegedly had ethical conflicts of interest with the board that prevented him from performing his statutory duties as legal advisor," Arpaio claims in Maricopa County Court.

Arpaio claims the board has taken steps against him "to consolidate the powers of county government" and diminish his power.

The in-house attorneys "are the very people choosing and controlling the sheriff's lawyers," and are violating the Arizona Constitution, Arpaio says.

Board members have lodged multiple claims against Arpaio, but the in-house law firms refuse to appoint independent lawyers to defend him because they "have an obvious interest in managing the notices of claim filed by the members of the board," Arpaio says.

Supervisor Don Stapley filed a notice of claim on Arpaio in March, demanding $5 million for false arrest and emotional distress.

Arpaio's office arrested Stapley twice, for "alleged financial improprieties," in December 2008 and September 2009.

Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox also filed a claim on May 27, demanding $4.75 million, claiming Arpaio had investigated her "in retaliation for her opposition to their stance on illegal immigration."

The board "spent some $14,000 to sweep for hidden electronic devices purported to be planted by the Sheriff's Office," Arpaio says. Those sweeps were conducted in December 2008 and in March 2009.

Arpaio sued the county in February 2009, claiming it had "unlawfully encumbered and transferred funds that it did not have the authority to encumber."

He sued his bosses again in April 2009, claiming that the county had "unlawfully enacted a public records policy limiting county officers from making public records requests" and had "exerted management control over a criminal justice information system which must be under the management control of a criminal justice agency."

Arpaio seeks declaratory judgment that the Board of Supervisors has a conflict of interest preventing it from assigning him lawyers, and that he is entitled to select his own counsel.

Arpaio is represented by L. Eric Dowell and F. David Harlow with Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart.

Stay away from Gandarilla, Boys...

Found this county press release showing a postive connection between Wilcox and Gandarilla from 2008. That explains why so many more googles are coming up to my pages lately searching for "Gandarilla" and "complaints", or "Gandarilla", "name of a defendant" (charged by MCSO with trespassing), and a ."pdf" from the ".agi". They're out there fishing for dirt on him because he had the audacity to challenge Arpaio and Thomas and slap them both down in court for their petty prosecutions.

If they go after him, you know they won't stop until they've seized all offices of power, high and low - they'll have it all wrapped up well before the elections...so, it has to stop here. No more indictments until Thomas' and Arpaio's are served. Judges who go along with them might as well retire, because it's been under their watch and signatures that all this has been going on. The judiciary is a huge part of the problem in this county, in fact. By June we should have a pretty comprehensive evaluation done of the judges up for 2010 re-election in critical seats to disseminate.

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Armando Gandarilla Appointed Downtown Justice of the Peace

Upon the recommendation of Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors today appointed Armando Gandarilla as the new Justice of the Peace for the Downtown Justice Court.  Gandarilla replaces Carlos A. Mendoza who resigned.  The new judge will take office effective September 1, 2008.

“I am delighted to have such a qualified candidate interested in public service,” said Mary Rose Wilcox, District 5.  Mr. Gandarilla has more than 30 years supervisory experience in the probation and justice arenas.”

Gandarilla holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Arizona State University and completed studies for a masters in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.  He was employed as a probation officer/supervisor for the Maricopa County Adult Probation Office from 1975-2002.

Community honors include the Hon Kachina 12 who Care Award, Volunteer Probation Officer of the Year Award and Spirit of Giving Award.

Justices of the Peace handle criminal misdemeanor cases, traffic citations, civil cases under $10,000, landlord-tenant disputes, Orders of Protection and Injunctions Against Harassment.