SE Valley Times

A Maricopa County Superior Court judge has stepped down from a case concerning the Elections Procedures Manual. The decision came after social media posts by his brother raised concerns about potential bias. The plaintiffs in the case, Petersen v. Fontes, filed a motion requesting a change of judge due to these concerns.

The plaintiffs emphasized the importance of impartiality in judicial proceedings, arguing that judges should be free from political bias. They stated that Judge Timothy Ryan's recusal was necessary under the circumstances.

Tom Ryan, Judge Ryan's brother, is known for his critical social media posts targeting the Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature. These posts included comments specific to the case at hand, leading to doubts about Judge Ryan's ability to remain unbiased.

For further details, contact Kim Quintero, Director of Communications for the Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus at kquintero@azleg.gov.