Kaufmann v. Cruikshank

OPINION

ECKERSTROM, Presiding Judge.

¶ 1 The issue in this special action is whether the respondent judge properly relied upon his inherent authority to sanction bad-faith litigation conduct in ordering defense counsel to pay the State of Arizona’s attorney fees in the underlying criminal proceeding. We accept jurisdiction of this special action to address this narrow question because it raises a pure issue of law that has implications for criminal proceedings throughout the state and because the issue appears to be a matter of first impression. 1 See State ex rel. Pennartz v. Olcavage, 200…