Professor Chin Comments for Associated Press on Arizona Sheriff's Contempt Order

Professor Gabriel "Jack" Chin commented for the Associated Press on a federal judge's request for prosecutors to pursue criminal contempt of court charges against Joe Arpaio, the controversial Arizona sheriff who has drawn national media attention for his hard line on illegal immigration.  Arpaio is accused of intentionally ignoring orders to stop patrols targeting immigrants.

Chin said that contempt cases against public officials are rare, but are seen occasionally when recalcitrant officials fail to comply with court orders. Apparently unwilling to rule on a case in which the defendant is accused of disrespecting his court, the federal judge moved the case to criminal court to be handled by another judge.

"In a case like this that is so significant, I think the judge did this as a matter of judicial discretion, and I think it was a good idea," Chin said.

Gabriel "Jack" Chin is a Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law at King Hall and holder of the Edward L. Barrett Endowed Chair at UC Davis School of Law.  He is a prolific and much-cited criminal and immigration law scholar whose work has addressed many of the most pressing social issues of our time.

 

 

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