Arizona Group Fights Mandatory State Bar Membership

An Arizona free-market think tank is asking the state Supreme Court to eliminate mandatory membership in the state bar association, arguing it violates the free-speech rights of attorneys.

A petition filed by the Goldwater Institute Jan. 8 to change those rules says a single organization “does not and cannot reasonably be expected to speak for all lawyers on all matters.” Lawyers may be forced to pay to support political activities or views they oppose, the filing said.

The Arizona proposal follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s Janus v. AFSCME decision that has left groups testing broader free-speech protections. The decision said ...