Judge's Impartiality Challenge In Arizona

In Arizona, "a party challenging a trial judge's impartiality must overcome the presumption that trial judges are 'free of bias and prejudice.'" Simon v. Maricopa Med. Ctr., 225 Ariz. 55,29, 234 P.3d 623, 631 (App. 2010), quoting State v. Rossi, 154 Ariz. 245, 247, 741 P.2d 1223, 1225 (1987). Judicial rulings alone do not support a finding of bias or partiality without a showing of an extrajudicial source of bias or a deep-seated favoritism. State v. Schackart, 190 Ariz. 238, 257, 947 P.2d 315, 334 (1997); Simon, 225 Ariz. 55,29, 234 P.3d at 631; Smith v. Smith, 115 Ariz. 299, 303, 564 P.2d 1266, 1270 (App. 1977). and "a change of judge for cause is not warranted if based merely on 'speculation, suspicion, apprehension, or imagination.'" Costa v. Mackey, 227 Ariz. 565,12, 261 P.3d 449, 455 (App. 2011), quoting State v. Ellison, 213 Ariz. 116,37, 140 P.3d 899, 911 (2006). The Court review for an abuse of discretion the denial of a motion for change of judge based on a claim of judicial bias. Schackart, 190 Ariz. at 257, 947 P.2d at 334; Smith v. Mitchell, 214 Ariz. 78,5, 148 P.3d 1151, 1153 (App. 2006).