Ruling finds sweeping right to enforce accountability laws

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Supreme Court has revived a lawsuit challenging a decision by the Cochise County Board of Supervisors to appoint one of its members to fill a judicial vacancy. The state high court ruled Thursday that Arizonans have a sweeping right to go to court to enforce so-called public accountability laws. The decision overturns a lower court’s dismissal of a man’s 2020 lawsuit that contended the board violated open meeting and conflict of interest laws when it voted to appoint then-Supervisor Patrick Call as a justice of the peace. The case now returns to Superior Court for further proceedings.