And so it begins. After six years since the last substantive debates over immigration reform, the Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, the title of the legislation borne out of the months-long work of the bipartisan Gang of Eight, which includes Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake.

Dear Mikey: I just turned 25 years old and I got myself in a situation where I had to file bankruptcy a week before my birthday. This is not at all where I expected myself to be when I turned 25. I thought I would have my career launched already (just got laid off), have my bachelor’s degree by now (still have 21 more credits to go), be married by now (girlfriend and I just broke up a month ago), having kids (not even close), and a house (can barely afford the rent in my apartment).

Thank you for sticking around when the going got tough.

I received a postcard in the mail several weeks ago announcing a public hearing on May 21 to provide an opportunity for the public to provide comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Study on the proposed South Mountain Freeway. None of my neighbors received the same postcard when I talked to them. Why were some of the public left out of the mailing? They may not have been informed of this public hearing, but I have comments to make.

Voters who have seen how medical marijuana works in Arizona may get a chance to extend the ability to use the drug to all other adults.

State lawmakers were moving toward finally adjourning their 151-day session late Thursday -- but not before setting the stage for constituents to have to start paying taxes on what they buy from catalogs and on the World Wide Web.

Michelle M. Lauer, attorney at business law firm Jaburg & Wilk, P.C., has been awarded Top Pro Bono Attorneys in Arizona from the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education.

I strongly support the election of a new Phoenix City Council person, Karlene Keogh Parks, whom has integrity, accountability and follows the law.

When I meet with clients who have a dispute with another individual or company, oftentimes my clients tell me to file a lawsuit believing that this is the only way for them to get what they are after: typically money and vindication that their position is correct. I always counsel my clients that litigation can be expensive and that there may be — though not always — a less expensive way to achieve their objective in a far quicker manner. Some of the less expensive ways of achieving the desired objective include mediation and arbitration.

The owners of a medical marijuana dispensary attempting to open in Ahwatukee Foothills have been granted more time to do so.

Abortion foes are making a late-session push to allow health inspectors to inspect clinics without a warrant.

Editor’s note: This is part three of a continuing summer series on the proposed South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway.

The state's more than 38,000 medical marijuana users are in no danger of losing their medication, at least not at the ballot box.

Police cannot use the state's traffic laws to draw blood from suspected drunk drivers without a warrant absent their specific permission at the time of the test, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled last week.

Our immigration system is broken, and that’s bad for our country and our economy. As the Senate debates the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform recently introduced, I hope that Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake will continue to support this important legislation.


State lawmakers voted last week to give businesses a chance to escape from class-action lawsuits before the legal bills -- and potential verdict against them -- gets too large.

The state's high court is going to give Arizona lawmakers another chance to argue that they don't have to obey a voter mandate to annually increase basic state aid to schools.

The Court of Appeals won't stop the state from continuing to fund a controversial voucher program, at least not now.

As some of you may know I have been covering the Jodi Arias murder trial as a legal expert for FOX 10 and other national TV stations. I’ve probably done over 65 TV appearances as a legal expert on the case. This case has turned out to be the biggest case of 2013 and maybe as big as the O.J. Simpson case.

AZPASS (Arizona People Acting for a Safer Society) would like to respond to Bill Richardson (“Limiting magazine capacity: Let’s try it!,” AFN, April 28) who seems to want to only confuse the discussion, and to prevent the rest of us from reaching a reasonable consensus on sensible gun regulation.


The state Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected a bid by prisoner rights advocates, including a convicted murderer, to void a new fee being charged to visitors.

Calling the measure racist, a coalition of rights groups filed suit Wednesday to overturn a two-year-old law banning abortion for race or gender selection.

Two former Republican state senators are maneuvering to give voters the last word on whether Arizona expands its Medicaid program.

Spring sprang, and now summer has set in.