James E. Padish

A Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyers honoree, Judge James E. Padish (Ret.) has extensive and versatile trial experience, as both a judge and a lawyer.

Jim Padish has conducted hundreds of trials involving general civil litigation – including divorce, medical malpractice, mental health, insurance fraud, tax evasion, commercial disputes – and criminal defense matters, including white-collar crimes and capital murder.

He also offers his services as a mediator and arbitrator in civil and family law cases.

Jim served on the bench of the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County for over six years before resuming his law practice in 2003. Prior to becoming a judge, he was a civil and criminal litigation attorney in Illinois and Arizona.

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James E. Padish

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Practice Areas

General Civil Litigation

Divorce and Family Law

Criminal Defense

Personal Injury

Elder Law

Special Master

Judicial Experience

Judge, Maricopa County Superior Court, 1997-2003

Honors and Awards

Super Lawyers (Family Law), 2007, 2012-present

The Best Lawyers in America® (Divorce), 2018-present

AV Preeminent® Rating, Martindale-Hubbell®

Hall of Distinction, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, 2001

Professional Memberships

State Bar of Arizona

Maricopa County Bar Association: Former Chair, Professionalism Committee

Scottsdale Bar Association: Past President (2020-2021, 2021-2022); Member, Board of Directors

Arizona Commission on Judicial Performance Review: Conference Team Member

Sandra Day O’Connor Inn of Court

Arizona Judges Association

University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Member, Board of Directors; President, Arizona Chapter

Court Admissions

U.S. Supreme Court, 2009

U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 1989

Arizona, 1987

Indiana, 1982

Illinois, 1981

Education

J.D., University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, 1981

B.S., Indiana University, 1978

Jim Padish has conducted hundreds of trials involving general civil litigation – including divorce, medical malpractice, mental health, insurance fraud, tax evasion, commercial disputes – and criminal defense matters, including white-collar crimes and capital murder.

He also offers his services as a mediator and arbitrator in civil and family law cases.

Jim served on the bench of the Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County for over six years before resuming his law practice in 2003. Prior to becoming a judge, he was a civil and criminal litigation attorney in Illinois and Arizona.

He has twice been elected president of the Scottsdale Bar Association.

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