Former Judge Lester Pearce of Phoenix, AZ; nepotism aficionado

The State of Arizona provided Lester Pearce with a law license in 1993 after he graduated from the University of Florida School of Law.

The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct found Lester guilty of the following misconduct.

• Engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice
• Brought his judicial office into disrepute
• Engaged in improper politicking during the recall effort of his brother – former state senator Russell Pearce
• Engaged in political activity on his brother’s behalf despite his intimate knowledge that such conduct was forbidden by the Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct
• Knowingly abused his judicial office
• During his brother’s recall campaign, Lester accompanied a family member who was collecting petitions for a candidate in the race
• While speaking in favor of his brother, and against the recall, attended a meeting in Russell’s Mesa district

Rather than await a ruling from the Arizona Supreme Court that likely would have led to him being tossed off the bench, Lester did what any cowardly jurist would do when he resigned from the bench.

As we speak (ca. October 2023), it is rumored that Lester has an application pending as a bathroom monitor at the Essex Gentlemen’s Club at 4139 West Indian School Road in Phoenix, Arizona.