Arizona Case Commentaries

Gross Negligence Is Not a “Reasonable Alternative”: Arizona’s Anti‑Abrogation Clause Invalidates Pandemic Immunity for Ordinary Medical Negligence, but a Clear‑and‑Convincing Burden Survives

Date: Sep 13, 2025

Gross Negligence Is Not a “Reasonable Alternative”: Arizona’s Anti‑Abrogation Clause Invalidates Pandemic Immunity for Ordinary Medical Negligence, but a Clear‑and‑Convincing Burden Survives...

Arizona Supreme Court: General Anti‑Assignment Clauses Do Not Bar Assignment of Accrued Implied‑Warranty Claims to HOAs

Date: Sep 5, 2025

General Anti‑Assignment Clauses Do Not Bar Assignment of Accrued Implied‑Warranty Claims to HOAs Introduction In Pointe 16 Community Association v. GTIS-HOV Pointe 16, LLC, the Arizona Supreme Court...

“Once Recused, Still Disqualified”: Arizona Supreme Court Requires Disclosure and Opportunity to Object Before a Judge Re‑Enters a Case After Recusal

Date: Aug 22, 2025

“Once Recused, Still Disqualified”: Arizona Supreme Court Requires Disclosure and Opportunity to Object Before a Judge Re‑Enters a Case After Recusal Introduction In Contreras v. Bourke, the Arizona...

No Judicial Preapproval for Refilling Charges After NCNR; Dangerousness Trials Require Pending Charges and Apply Retroactively

Date: Aug 21, 2025

No Judicial Preapproval for Refilling Charges After NCNR; Dangerousness Trials Require Pending Charges and Apply Retroactively Introduction In a consolidated decision arising from a protracted...

Smith v. Fontes: Cementing the “Exactly-15 %” Initiative Signature Standard and Barring Double-Counting of Invalid Signatures

Date: Aug 13, 2025

Smith v. Fontes: Cementing the “Exactly-15 %” Initiative Signature Standard and Barring Double-Counting of Invalid Signatures Introduction Smith v. Fontes, decided by the Arizona Supreme Court on 6...

State v. Rushing (2025): Clarifying Fundamental-Error Review for Visible Restraints in Capital Sentencing

Date: Aug 7, 2025

State v. Rushing (2025): Clarifying Fundamental-Error Review for Visible Restraints in Capital Sentencing Introduction State of Arizona v. Jasper Phillip Rushing is the Arizona Supreme Court’s most...

Roundtree v. Page: A New Standard for Determining When a Municipal Initiative Is “Legislative”

Date: Jul 31, 2025

Roundtree v. Page: A New Standard for Determining When a Municipal Initiative Is “Legislative” Introduction Roundtree v. Page, decided by the Arizona Supreme Court on 30 July 2025, addresses the...

“Sheriff-Not-County” Rule: Arizona Supreme Court Re‐draws the Map of Vicarious Liability and Notice-of-Claim Practice (Sanchez v. Maricopa County, 2025)

Date: Jul 23, 2025

“Sheriff-Not-County” Rule: Arizona Supreme Court Re-draws the Map of Vicarious Liability and Notice-of-Claim Practice (Sanchez v. Maricopa County, 2025) Introduction Sanchez v. Maricopa County is a...

“Just Cause” Re-Defined: The Arizona Supreme Court Recasts the Abandonment Presumption in Parental-Rights Terminations

Date: Jul 23, 2025

“Just Cause” Re-Defined: The Arizona Supreme Court Recasts the Abandonment Presumption in Parental-Rights Terminations 1. Introduction In In Re Termination of Parental Rights as to B.W., the Arizona...

“Reasonable Certainty” Re-defined: McAlister v. Loeb & the Recoverability of Lost Profits in Prospective Licensing Transactions

Date: Jul 23, 2025

“Reasonable Certainty” Re-defined: McAlister v. Loeb & Loeb, LLP Arizona Supreme Court (2025) Introduction McAlister v. Loeb & Loeb, LLP is a pivotal 2025 decision from the Arizona Supreme Court...

“Outside the School-Student Relationship” – Arizona Supreme Court Defines the Geographic Limits of a School’s Duty of Care (PUSD 210 v. Hon. Sinclair/Lucero, 2025)

Date: Jul 16, 2025

“Outside the School-Student Relationship” – Arizona Supreme Court Defines the Geographic Limits of a School’s Duty of Care Commentary on PUSD 210 v. Hon. Sinclair / Lucero, CV-24-0307-PR (Ariz. Jul....

“Directory, Not Disqualifying” – Arizona Supreme Court Holds that Failure to File A.R.S. § 14-5109 Notice Does Not Automatically Bar Professional Fees

Date: Jul 13, 2025

“Directory, Not Disqualifying” – Arizona Supreme Court Holds that Failure to File A.R.S. § 14-5109 Notice Does Not Automatically Bar Professional Fees 1. Introduction In In the Matter of the...

“When the Debt is Gone, So Is the Coverage” – Arizona Supreme Court Narrows Lender Title Insurance Liability and Bars Collateral-Source Shielding of Loan Repayments

Date: Jun 11, 2025

“When the Debt is Gone, So Is the Coverage” – Arizona Supreme Court Narrows Lender Title Insurance Liability and Bars Collateral-Source Shielding of Loan Repayments I. Introduction In Centerpoint...

Off-Road ATV Exclusion Upheld: State Farm Automobile v. Orlando Establishes Definition of “Motor Vehicle” for UMA-Based UIM Coverage

Date: May 30, 2025

Off-Road ATV Exclusion Upheld: State Farm Automobile v. Orlando Establishes Definition of “Motor Vehicle” for UMA-Based UIM Coverage 1. Introduction In State Farm Automobile Insurance Company v....

Arizona Supreme Court Holds No Statute-Imposed Duty for Liquor Regulator to Prevent Overservice

Date: May 20, 2025

Arizona Supreme Court Holds No Statute-Imposed Duty for Liquor Regulator to Prevent Overservice Introduction In Sanchez-Ravuelta v. Yavapai, decided May 19, 2025, the Arizona Supreme Court addressed...

Excluding the Arsonist from the Definition of “Occupied Structure” under A.R.S. § 13-1701(2) and § 13-1704

Date: May 15, 2025

Excluding the Arsonist from the Definition of “Occupied Structure” under A.R.S. § 13-1701(2) and § 13-1704 Introduction This case arises from a 2007 Christmas‐night fire that engulfed a pickup truck...

Recoverability of Future Lost Wages of a Child Murder Victim as Restitution

Date: May 1, 2025

Recoverability of Future Lost Wages of a Child Murder Victim as Restitution Introduction In E.H. v. Hon. Slayton, 2025 Ariz. LEXIS ___, the Arizona Supreme Court addressed whether the future lost...

Defining “In Connection With Your Business” in Non-Owned Auto Insurance Coverage

Date: Apr 30, 2025

Defining “In Connection With Your Business” in Non-Owned Auto Insurance Coverage Introduction This case arises from a fatal collision involving Martin A. Montano Jr., an employee of Casas Custom...

Validity of Forged Deeds under A.R.S. § 12-524’s Five-Year Limitations Period

Date: Apr 17, 2025

Validity of Forged Deeds under A.R.S. § 12-524’s Five-Year Limitations Period Introduction Dominguez v. Dominguez (Supreme Court of Arizona, April 16, 2025) addresses a family dispute over ownership...

Principle of Prosecutorial Competence and Diligence in Charging Decisions

Date: Apr 12, 2025

Principle of Prosecutorial Competence and Diligence in Charging Decisions Introduction In In the Matter of April Arlene Sponsel, 2025 Ariz. LEXIS ___, the Arizona Supreme Court affirmed a two-year...