Arizona Supreme Court Justice Recuses Himself From Abortion Case

Arizona Supreme Court Justice William Montgomery said Thursday that he will recuse himself from an abortion case involving Planned Parenthood Arizona, reversing his earlier stance to take part in the case. The justice had previously denied Planned Parenthood Arizona’s motion to recuse himself from an upcoming hearing regarding the enforcement of the state’s 1864 near-total abortion ban. In a brief order on Nov. 30, Justice Montgomery said he made his initial decision based on a conclusion that “an objective, disinterested observer would not entertain a significant doubt that justice will be done in this case.” Nevertheless, the justice said he acknowledged that a judicial officer has a continuing duty “to consider whether recusal may be necessary.”...