ABA Model Rule 3.8 sets forth a prosecutor’s ethical responsibilities. How does a prosecutor’s inherent humanness – and their susceptibility to the influences of implicit bias and confirmation bias – impact their ability to meet their duty under Rule 3.8 and fulfill their role as a Minister of Justice?
Presenter:
Elizabeth Burton Ortiz has a bachelor of science degree in economics, a master of arts in political science, and a juris doctor. After graduating from law school, Ms. Ortiz clerked at the Arizona Court of Appeals. Ms. Ortiz then joined the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona, where she prosecuted cases for sixteen years. During that time, Ms. Ortiz served as a bureau chief in Juvenile, Pretrial, Charging, and Appeals. In 2009, Ms. Ortiz joined the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council (APAAC) as the senior staff attorney and was subsequently named executive director. In addition to her APAAC duties, Ms. Ortiz is a sworn special prosecutor in several Arizona counties and continues to carry a criminal caseload. Ms. Ortiz is a board member of the National Association of Prosecutor Coordinators, the National District Attorney’s Association, the Arizona Forensic Science Academy, the Arizona Supreme Court’s Commission of Victims in Court, and the Governor’s Commission to Prevent Violence Against Women. Further, Ms. Ortiz serves on the State Bar of Arizona Board of Legal Specialization and on the Public Lawyers Division Executive Council. Ms. Ortiz teaches extensively throughout Arizona, the United States, and in Mexico on a wide variety of legal topics and is a facilitator for the “Lessons From the Holocaust: What You Do Matters” course.