Casa Grande Dispatch
(Editor’s note: Opinion pieces are posted only for purposes of discussion.)
We don’t usually use this space to disparage or otherwise comment on the work of other writers, but a major investigative report last week in a Valley newspaper about one of Casa Grande’s leading citizens, Bill O’Neil, was stunning. O’Neil, a retired Pinal County Superior Court judge, now has the tough job of directing disciplinary actions for lawyers in the state.
In the course of that work, he deals with some really objectionable actions as the State Bar seeks to protect Arizonans from unethical behavior. His writing connected with the disbarment of former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas was widely read and admired.
O’Neil often has been called on to speak to students, as he did in Casa Grande last week, because of his interest in young people and his eloquent and inspiring words about positive goals and what is right. Suspending and disbarring lawyers, basically taking away their earning ability, makes some serious enemies, and that seems to be in play in dubious complaints made against the judge.
