On Monday, April 3, 2023, the Presiding Disciplinary Judge of the Supreme Court of Arizona entered its Final Judgment and Order concerning the suspension of Phoenix attorney Carrie M. Spiller for failure to comply with several court-issued orders and failure to appear at scheduled hearings.

The case is styled as ‘In the Matter Carrie M. Spiller,’ and was brought by the State Bar of Arizona, under case no. 22-2018.

The charges cited  Rule 42, Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct ERs 1.16(d), 3.4(c), 8.1(b), and 8.4(d).

The Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct can be found here.

On March 1, 2023, the hearing panel entered an order suspending Spiller from the practice of law in Arizona for two years.

The suspension stemmed from a complaint filed by the State Bar of Arizona (SBA) against Spiller alleging Spiller, in her representation as a trial-only counsel of a defendant, failed to file a notice of appeal and moved to withdraw as counsel. The Maricopa County Superior Court ordered Spiller on February 11, 2022, to produce the defendant’s file to Post-Conviction Relief (PRC) counsel until February 28, 2022. However, despite several orders issued by the Court, Spiller failed to comply with the Court’s orders and ultimately resulting in Spiller’s being held in contempt on September 7, 2022.

During SBA’s investigation, Spiller was requested to address certain rules and to furnish a complete copy of the defendant’s file on September 15, 2020. Spiller failed to respond to the first email sent by SBA and was able to respond when the SBA investigator obtained contact information of Spiller, including her new email address. Spiller denied receiving the SBA’s screening investigation letter and told the investigator that she retired from law practice in August 2020 and now teaches at a high school in South Mountain.

The screening investigation letter was resent to Spiller at the updated email address on September 21, 2022, but Spiller has not responded which led to Spiller’s license to practice law in the state being administratively suspended in January 2023.

Spiller has not filed an appeal to the March 1, 2023 order of suspension.

With the foregoing facts and discussions, the presiding disciplinary judge deemed it appropriate to enter a Final Judgment and Order suspending Spiller for her conduct.

The Disposition reads:

“IT IS ORDERED that CARRIE M. SPILLER, Bar No. 019037, is suspended from the practice of law in Arizona for two years for her conduct in violation of the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct, as outlined in the hearing panel’s decision, effective March 1, 2023.”

Costs and expenses incurred by the State Bar of Arizona amounting to $2,00.00 were also assessed against the respondent and ordered to be paid within 30 days of the Judgment and Order.

According to her LinkedIn page, Ms. Spiller obtained her law degree from the University of Arizona. She has been licensed in Arizona since 1998.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.