A federal judge in the Melendres case will hear arguments on whether years of federal oversight have sufficiently transformed the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office or if continued monitoring is needed.
The Melendres lawsuit was filed in 2007. It challenged former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's racial profiling of Latino drivers during immigration enforcement operations.
In 2013, a federal court found MCSO systemically violated the Constitution. A judge imposed comprehensive reform orders and appointed a federal monitor to ensure compliance.
Now, lawyers representing Maricopa County argue that the Melendres orders should be lifted.
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In a Rule 60 motion, filed in December 2025, the attorneys said MCSO has switched sheriffs several times since Arpaio's immigration sweeps. They added that the agency is in compliance with orders related to non-discriminatory policing and traffic stops.
Critics say premature termination risks returning to the Arpaio days and civil rights violations.
The ACLU points to MCSO's failure to fully eliminate racial disparities in traffic stops and hundreds of incomplete misconduct investigations.
The monitor's recent quarterly report, released in June 2026, said the department dropped in overall compliance with the court orders.
The monitor team also raised concerns about how top leaders, including current sheriff Jerry Sheridan, are handling internal affairs cases.
While the exact cost of Melendres' court order compliance has been disputed, Maricopa County officials contend millions of taxpayer dollars have been diverted from public safety priorities to pay for the monitor.
Attorneys for both sides will make oral arguments Friday afternoon; However, the judge may take several days or weeks to issue his ruling on whether to release MCSO from oversight.
