The law west of Oak Creek is increasingly in the hands of a Verde Valley native, Judge Earlda Lynn Piper Riordan of Cottonwood, who was appointed associate magistrate of the Sedona Magistrate Court by the Sedona City Council on March 25.
City Manager Anette Spickard said on March 27 that Riordan’s appointment would be temporary to cover for presiding judge Paul Schlegel while Schlegel is absent due to knee surgery.
Riordan became Cottonwood’s associate magistrate on Oct. 25, 2013, and also began serving as court administrator in 2017, a position she continues to hold.
In her capacity as court administrator, Riordan and presiding magistrate Catherine J. Kelley sought a Vitalyst Health Foundation grant for $159,750 in October 2019 to fund “a very non-traditional court compliance officer within the court system who will be dedicated to working with the vulnerable community of defendants, the majority of whom are homeless, and many of whom have mental illness issues, to keep those individuals out of the emergency room, provide access to better health, nutrition and hygiene and reduce criminal activity.”
Additionally, Riordan was appointed associate magistrate and court administrator in Clarkdale on Feb. 22, 2022, for a two-year term commencing on April 1, 2024, under an intergovernmental agreement with Cottonwood.
On Dec. 20, 2024, Riordan was appointed a juvenile hearing officer for Yavapai County for the coming year, to serve without pay, and on Jan. 1, the Superior Court appointed her a justice of the peace pro tempore for all precincts in Yavapai County.
“Municipal court judges — magistrates — hear misdemeanor criminal traffic cases such as driving under the influence of alcohol, hit and-run and reckless driving where no serious injuries occur,” the Arizona Judicial Branch’s website states. “They hear civil traffic cases, violations of city ordinances and codes and issue orders of protection and injunctions prohibiting harassment. They can also issue search warrants. They do not hear civil lawsuits between citizens.
“City charters or ordinances establish the qualifications of these judges. Some cities do not require municipal court judges to be attorneys.
“Municipal courts have criminal jurisdiction over misdemeanor crimes and petty offenses committed in their city or town. They share jurisdiction with justice courts over violations of state law committed within their city or town limits.”
A 1975 graduate of Mingus Union High School, Riordan received certification from the Supreme Court Board of Legal Document Preparers on May 20, 2003. She has not been admitted to the Arizona bar, which is not a requirement under the Arizona State Constitution nor Sedona City Code.
Riordan is the granddaughter of early Sedona settlers Chauncey LeeRoy and Della Piper, who homesteaded 45 acres in what is now the Chapel area, living in a log cabin at the foot of Twin Buttes from 1931 to 1941 before building their own adobe home. Her uncle, Fred Piper [July 24, 1925 — May 24, 2022], was a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress turret gunner during World War II and the last surviving Sedona WWII veteran, who presented often at the Sedona Heritage Museum.
The city of Sedona and the Sedona Magistrate Court did not provide further details on Riordan’s background or confirm the dates she will serve.
Riordan did not respond to a request for comment.
