Court Opinion

ID: 9632589
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 11:20:03.173998+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:08:19.406288
License: Public Domain

HAYS, Justice,
dissenting:
According to the majority, we, in the ivory towers of appellate “never-never land,” have a new standard with which to test constraints of procedural law. The beautifully subjective standard is fairness. From now on, the law will be administered with fairness, even if a few hard cases make bad law. No need for this court to supply rules where rules are lacking, for all we have to do is apply the fairness test.
I am well aware that I authored State ex rel. Purcell v. City Court of Phoenix, 112 Ariz. 517, 543 P.2d 1146 (1975), which established this fairness standard. However, I would rather see us follow the orderly established manner in amending or adding to the rules of procedure.
My main concern lies, however, in the effect this “new rule” will have on the various city courts throughout the state. The point is well expressed in the Court of Appeals opinion which the decision of this court vacates. Judge Hathaway, writing for the court, says:
“Aside from the vast jurisdictional difference between the courts, the basic structures of the city court pose obstacles to applying the rule there. The superior court is a single, statewide court of general jurisdiction. Individual city courts, providing for speedy resolution of minor offenses, afford varying degrees of facility to peremptory challenges of judges. Were city magistrates susceptible to peremptory challenges, a reserve of replacement judges is not readily available except in a city with a multi-judge court. Whether a rule implementing such a procedure is warranted is for the supreme court to decide. Not having encompassed inferior courts within the rule, it is apparent that the supreme court is of the view that a change of judge request is not merited in inferior courts.”
Cain v. The City Court of the City of Tucson, 135 Ariz. 101, 659 P.2d 654 (1982).
I dissent.
Note: Justice FELDMAN did not participate in the determination of this matter.