E. Lynn Riordan Appointed as Sedona’s New Associate Magistrate

Judge Earlda Lynn Piper Riordan, a native of Verde Valley, has been appointed as an associate magistrate of the Sedona Magistrate Court by the Sedona City Council. This decision was made on March 25, as the city seeks to ensure continuity in its judicial system.

City Manager Anette Spickard announced on March 27 that Riordan’s appointment will be temporary, filling the role while presiding judge Paul Schlegel undergoes knee surgery.

Riordan has a longstanding history in the judicial system, having been appointed as Cottonwood’s associate magistrate on October 25, 2013. She later became court administrator in 2017, a role she continues to fulfill alongside her new duties.

As court administrator, Riordan collaborated with presiding magistrate Catherine J. Kelley to secure a Vitalyst Health Foundation grant of $159,750 in October 2019. This funding aims to establish a non-traditional court compliance officer dedicated to assisting a vulnerable community of defendants, many of whom face homelessness and mental health challenges. The initiative focuses on reducing emergency room visits and promoting better health, nutrition, and hygiene.

In a bid to expand her judicial impact, Riordan also received an appointment as associate magistrate and court administrator for Clarkdale on February 22, 2022. This two-year term will officially begin on April 1, 2024, through an intergovernmental agreement with Cottonwood.

On December 20, 2024, she was named a juvenile hearing officer for Yavapai County for the upcoming year and was appointed as a justice of the peace pro tempore for all precincts in Yavapai County on January 1.

According to the Arizona Judicial Branch, municipal court judges, referred to as magistrates, manage misdemeanor criminal traffic cases, civil traffic cases, and city ordinance violations. They hold the authority to issue orders of protection and injunctions against harassment, but do not adjudicate civil lawsuits between citizens.

Municipal courts possess jurisdiction over misdemeanor offenses occurring within city limits and share authority with justice courts regarding state law violations.

A graduate of Mingus Union High School in 1975, Riordan gained certification from the Supreme Court Board of Legal Document Preparers on May 20, 2003. Notably, she has not been admitted to the Arizona bar, but this is not mandated under state law or Sedona City Code.

Riordan descends from early Sedona settlers Chauncey LeeRoy and Della Piper, who homesteaded 45 acres in what is now the Chapel area, residing in a log cabin from 1931 to 1941 before building an adobe home. Her uncle, Fred Piper, was a WWII veteran and active in the Sedona Heritage Museum, leaving a legacy in the community.

The city of Sedona and the Sedona Magistrate Court have not disclosed more details regarding Riordan’s background or the duration of her service. Attempts to reach Riordan for comment went unanswered.