Law in the Southwest

There is something of the wild west that comes to mind whenever southwestern law is discussed. It might have something to do with various kinds of legislation that have been overturned in recent years, along with the history of very colorful politicians in Arizona and Colorado. It’s also important to keep in mind that these are still young states in terms of the history of the nation, Colorado entering in 1876, and Arizona in 1912 . The ideas that relate youthfulness and lawlessness are still very much at work in the popular imagination.

The view from the ground, however, is a lot different. Living in the Southwest does not mean a constant struggle with swinging saloon doors and gunfights, although there are still some elements in place that serve as reminders of a not-too-distant past. Among the historical places, like ghost towns and graveyards, there are also reminders that the history is still very recent here, and not all of the symbols of the wild west are a thing of the past. It’s one of the great attractions of the big cities, actually, where there may be an office for a law firm in one block, and the next block there are houses where the families are raising sheep or llamas in their back yard.

For lawyers working in the Southwest, then, there are some interesting challenges that might not be present in other places. There are populations that are very new here, and first-generation residents are very common, but there are also populations that have been here for thousands of years. In terms of laws, there are some very interesting cases, where there may be disputes that relate to something happening hundreds of years ago in northern Arizona, or a new issue raised in the arena of business law. Denver and Phoenix can be alike in many ways, but there are also central differences that only arise when the subtleties start to work themselves out. This unusual combination makes it a very interesting place for issues concerning the law.

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