TL/DR –
The Arizona Supreme Court has temporarily paused a defamation lawsuit against former gubernatorial and current U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake. The lawsuit, filed by Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, accuses Lake of spreading false information about him following the 2022 elections. The court will determine whether to hear Lake’s appeal against the decision to allow the case to proceed, and if the case does go forward, it could go to trial during an election year when both Lake and Richer are running for office.
Arizona Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Defamation Lawsuit Against Kari Lake
The defamation lawsuit filed against Kari Lake, former gubernatorial candidate and current U.S. Senate contender, has been temporarily halted by the Arizona Supreme Court. The court issued a temporary stay order on Tuesday, pausing the case as it decides whether to accept Lake’s appeal against Maricopa County Judge Jay Adleman’s previous decision to proceed with the lawsuit.
This pause suspends the formal discovery process, which involves the exchange of information between attorneys. Lake’s legal team had sought to bypass this step during a December court appearance. This development follows the Arizona Court of Appeals’ refusal to consider a special action petition from Lake, leading her to submit another appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court.
The initial lawsuit was filed by Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer in June. He accused Lake and her team of disseminating false information about him following the 2022 election. Lake, however, insists that Richer is attempting to silence her and other critics of election integrity.
What’s next for Kari Lake’s defamation case?
Richer has until Feb. 6 to respond to Lake’s appeal before the Arizona Supreme Court. The pause on the case only applies until a response to the petition is obtained. If Richer responds early, the court could decide to lift the pause while it deliberates on Lake’s appeal.
If the court decides to hear Lake’s appeal, it will then determine whether the lawsuit should proceed. If the case does go forward, it could go to trial during an election year, when both Lake and Richer are vying for elected offices. Attorney Timothy LaSota, Lake’s representative, expressed satisfaction with the court’s swift issuing of a stay in the proceedings.
For more updates on Kari Lake’s political journey, check out Donald Trump’s praise for Lake after the Iowa caucuses.
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