Justice Woolbright’s suspension called too lenient.
A northwest Valley justice of the peace who has admitted misconduct should be considered for tougher discipline than an unpaid 60-day suspension, several fellow justices of the peace said in a letter to the Arizona Supreme Court.
A state judicial commission recommended earlier this week that Judge Phillip Woolbright, justice of the peace at Arrowhead Justice Court in Surprise, be suspended without pay for two months for misconduct. Woolbright has agreed to undergo ethics training and an anger-management course as part of the commission’s recommendation.
Earlier this week, Woolbright declined comment on the case and could not be reached Friday. Gerald Williams, a justice of the peace for the North Valley Justice Court in Surprise, urged the high court to allow other justices of the peace and constables to file a friend-of-the-court brief in the Woolbright case. That would allow the group to file information for consideration in the case.
Williams’ letter outlines several objections to the recommended agreement, saying Woolbright’s misconduct was extensive and his not being a lawyer shouldn’t be a reason to deliver a lighter punishment. Arizona justices of the peace are not required to be attorneys. Woolbright, a Peoria resident, has served as justice of the peace since January with an annual salary of $103,000. He is currently on suspension but is still receiving a salary until his case is decided by the state Supreme Court.
An ethics investigation by the Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct found that Woolbright, accused of domestic violence in an incident involving his estranged wife, tried to avoid being served with an order of protection and continued to hear court cases involving orders of protection.
