---
title: "Judge Murray Snow rejects Maricopa County bid to end sheriff's office supervision"
publication: "MediaBias News"
url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/judge-murray-snow-rejects-maricopa-county-bid-to-end-sheriffs-office-supervision"
api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/judge-murray-snow-rejects-maricopa-county-bid-to-end-sheriffs-office-supervision"
markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/judge-murray-snow-rejects-maricopa-county-bid-to-end-sheriffs-office-supervision.md"
audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/judge-murray-snow-rejects-maricopa-county-bid-to-end-sheriffs-office-supervision"
category: "Politics"
area: "United States"
published: "2026-09-12T04:05:46.097Z"
source_reported: "2026-09-12T02:23:47.000Z"
updated: "2026-09-12T04:05:46.097Z"
trust_score: 64
critic_score: 95
hype_score: 12
assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis"
fact_check_status: "not-performed"
coverage_measured: "2026-09-12T05:40:42.628Z"
---

# Judge Murray Snow rejects Maricopa County bid to end sheriff's office supervision

*The court found the county failed to demonstrate that racial profiling violations have been corrected.*

**Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): 

- Trust 64 of 100, higher is better. +12 for named judge and officials; +8 for figures with source; +8 for attribution; +6 for date/place.
- Craft 95 of 100, higher is better. Provides context, quotes officials, separates facts, gives specific data, outlines next steps.
- Hype 12 of 100, lower is better. Neutral headline and body with no sensational language.

Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology.

**The short version**

- U.S. District Judge Murray Snow rejected Maricopa County's bid to end federal supervision of the sheriff's office.
- The county did not demonstrate that the court's objectives, including correcting racial profiling practices, have been met.
- A plaintiffs' expert found Hispanic drivers were stopped for an average of 4.7 minutes longer than white drivers.
- County officials expressed disappointment and indicated an intention to appeal the ruling.

U.S. District Judge Murray Snow has rejected Maricopa County's request to end federal supervision of the sheriff's office. The judge ruled on Thursday that the county had not shown that the objectives of the court's orders, which aimed to correct practices leading to racial profiling, had been achieved. He also stated that a lasting remedy had not been established to prevent future violations if court supervision ceased.

The case originated from large-scale traffic patrols conducted by then-Sheriff Joe Arpaio between January 2008 and October 2011, which targeted immigrants. These patrols involved deputies flooding areas of metro Phoenix, including Latino neighborhoods, to stop traffic violators and apprehend other offenders. Plaintiffs, who were Latinos stopped or searched by Arpaio's officers, alleged racial profiling. The judge's initial ruling 13 years prior mandated significant overhauls of the agency's traffic patrol and internal affairs operations.

## Disagreement on stop duration analysis

In his ruling, Judge Snow questioned the county's studies on traffic stops. The sheriff's office had excluded longer stops, such as those involving suspected drunk drivers or language barriers, which accounted for at least half of the agency's stops in 2024 and 2025. A plaintiffs' expert, however, analysed all traffic stop data for 2023 and 2024 and found a 4.7-minute difference in stop duration between Hispanic and white drivers. Judge Snow noted these figures differed drastically from the agency's reports that excluded longer stops.

## What the coverage left out

None of the left-rated, centre-rated, or right-rated digests mention the specific costs associated with the court supervision that county officials cited as a reason for seeking its end. The full report from Washington Top News stated county officials were frustrated with the steep costs of court supervision and that board chair Kate Brophy McGee and vice chair Debbie Lesko said continued federal oversight would further deplete public funds and divert taxpayer dollars.

## Who covered it

Shares of the 30 covering outlets with a published leaning rating:

- Left: 47% (14)
- Centre: 46% (14)
- Right: 7% (2)

5 of 35 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-12T05:40:42.628Z.

**Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 9 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-12T06:15:22.535Z.

## How the sides framed it

### Left

- Left-rated reports focused on the judge's rejection of Maricopa County's bid to end federal supervision due to ongoing racial profiling concerns. They highlighted the finding of a 4.7-minute longer average stop for Hispanic drivers compared to white drivers, citing a plaintiffs' expert. These reports mentioned the historical context of Joe Arpaio's immigration crackdowns and the court's previous orders for overhauls. Some noted the U.S. Department of Justice's support for ending supervision, contrasting it with the judge's decision. The reports also included statements from county officials expressing disappointment and Sheriff Jerry Sheridan's office stating its belief in implemented remedies.

### Centre

- Centre-rated reports centred on U.S. District Judge Murray Snow's decision to reject Maricopa County's request to end federal oversight of the sheriff's office. They stated the county failed to demonstrate that the objectives of the court's orders, such as correcting racial profiling, had been achieved. These reports included the finding of a 4.7-minute longer average stop for Hispanic drivers versus white drivers, as identified by a plaintiffs' expert. They also mentioned the county's arguments for ending supervision, including that Arpaio's immigration policies are no longer in place and that past studies showed change. Statements from county board leaders and Sheriff Sheridan's office were also included.

### Right

- Right-rated reports focused on U.S. District Judge Murray Snow rejecting Maricopa County's bid to end federal supervision of the sheriff's office. The reports noted that the county failed to demonstrate that the objectives of the court's orders had been achieved. The analysis from a plaintiffs' expert regarding the 4.7-minute difference in stop duration between Hispanic and white drivers was also mentioned.

**Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding.

## Factuality profile of the covering outlets

These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true.

- mixed: 2
- high: 21
- unknown: 8
- veryHigh: 4

## Verification scope

This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true.

## Original reporting this was written from

- [PressNewsAgency](https://pressnewsagency.org/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [Independent Español](https://independentespanol.com/noticias/eeuu/juez-rechaza-cancelar-supervision-a-oficina-policial-de-arizona-en-caso-de-etiquetacion-racial-b3048982.html) — Judge Refuses to Cancel Supervision of Arizona Police Office in Case of Racial Labeling
- [Santa Maria Times](https://santamariatimes.com/ap/national/juez-rechaza-cancelar-supervisi-n-a-oficina-policial-de-arizona-en-caso-de-etiquetaci-n/article_96c6769d-5e4c-5899-a082-702f6e793959.html) — Judge Refuses to Cancel Supervision of Arizona Police Office in Case of Racial Labeling
- [My Mother Lode](https://mymotherlode.com/news/national/11133380/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/national/2026/09/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case – WTOP News
- [WBAL](https://wbal.com/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff's office from superv
- [Newsday](https://newsday.com/news/nation/racial-profiling-hispanics-joe-arpaio-immigration-h01574) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff's office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_25517b48-c149-5eb0-9c5f-57aad74efcbc.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/joe-arpaio-maricopa-county-arizona-phoenix-latinos-b3048971.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/racial-profiling-hispanics-joe-arpaio-immigration-1291f866c95895726181b2c02e16aaa1) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [MY Northwest](https://mynorthwest.com/national/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/4274965) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [WPLG](https://local10.com/news/national/2026/09/11/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/national/2026/09/12/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [Bangor Daily News](https://bangordailynews.com/2026/09/11/nation/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/joe-arpaio-maricopa-county-arizona-phoenix-latinos-b3048971.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [The Northern Virginia Daily](https://nvdaily.com/associated_press_national/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_3172b35e-d21d-5ade-a0e2-dd85fbaac1ec.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [The Daily Sentinel](https://dailysentinel.com/anpa/us/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_2ab5f1e5-f429-56a1-9699-7cb25e1ec8b5.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [Goshen News](https://goshennews.com/news/national_news/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_f73ddd36-736c-5bea-95fd-c8df47267c2d.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [KTBS](https://ktbs.com/news/national/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_375a09c1-cecf-5209-b60b-8eda5c954ade.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [verdenews.com](https://verdenews.com/news/national/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_28ec3618-d27c-5c1e-9c96-2282340370cb.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [abc News](https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/judge-rejects-bid-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-supervision-136380542) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [The Lawton Constitution](https://swoknews.com/coronavirus/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_609840cc-feba-5691-b490-602ddc773660.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [pmg-ky3.com](https://pmg-ky3.com/ap/ap_news/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_5cc6875a-5976-5a9e-b3d0-57d48b0490c6.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [AZ Family - Phoenix](https://azfamily.com/2026/09/11/judge-rejects-bid-end-federal-oversight-maricopa-county-sheriffs-office) — Judge rejects bid to end federal oversight of Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
- [KPNX](https://12news.com/article/news/investigations/mcso-remains-under-federal-oversight-in-melendres-case-after-judge-rejects-bide-to-end-monitoring/75-0eaed8af-7c4a-4451-a0d4-75097d72bedf) — Maricopa County Sheriff's Office remains under federal oversight in Melendres case after judge rejects bid to end monitoring
- [The Hamilton Spectator](https://thespec.com/news/world/united-states/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_5650bf80-8f71-55d8-a1d0-1155ac12fc6d.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/united-states/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_f9b9e923-2d5f-5df8-b3a8-599ec3e2da07.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [NiagaraFallsReview.ca](https://niagarafallsreview.ca/news/world/united-states/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_3a197303-c5cc-5175-a03c-dce090772f05.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [WellandTribune.ca](https://wellandtribune.ca/news/world/united-states/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriff-s-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case/article_e0e68b74-481f-5c28-9fcf-86b10363adb2.html) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/09/11/judge-rejects-bid-to-release-arizona-sheriffs-office-from-supervision-in-racial-profiling-case) — Judge rejects bid to release Arizona sheriff’s office from supervision in racial profiling case
- [Phoenix New Times](https://phoenixnewtimes.com/news/federal-judge-rejects-arpaio-racial-profiling-reform-40696739) — Judge rejects Maricopa County's bid to end racial profiling reforms
- [abc 15 Arizona](https://abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/judge-denies-request-to-end-federal-oversight-of-mcso) — Judge denies request to end federal oversight of MCSO
- [Missoula Current](https://missoulacurrent.com/arizona-racial-profiling) — Arizona sheriff remains under orders to end racial profiling
- [Courthouse News Service](https://courthousenews.com/arizona-sheriffs-office-remains-under-orders-to-end-racial-profiling) — Arizona sheriff's office remains under orders to end racial profiling

## Questions

**Why did the judge reject Maricopa County's bid to end supervision?**

U.S. District Judge Murray Snow rejected the bid because Maricopa County failed to demonstrate that the objectives of the court's orders, such as correcting racial profiling practices, had been achieved. He also found that a durable remedy had not been established to ensure violations would not recur.

**What evidence did the judge cite regarding racial profiling?**

Judge Snow cited analysis from a plaintiffs' expert who found a 4.7-minute longer average stop duration for Hispanic drivers compared to white drivers. This finding contrasted with the sheriff's office's own reports, which excluded longer stops and showed statistically insignificant differences.

**What was the historical context of this case?**

The case stems from large-scale traffic patrols conducted by then-Sheriff Joe Arpaio between 2008 and 2011, which targeted immigrants and led to allegations of racial profiling against Latinos. A ruling 13 years prior mandated overhauls of the sheriff's office operations.

---

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