Jim graduated from the University of Denver College of Law in 1994 after receiving his Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University in 1991. He graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Denver.
Jim is a past president of the Pinal County Bar Association and has practiced locally and served Pinal County for over 23 years. He is a member of the Arizona Bar Association, Pinal County Bar Association, and Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice. He has been a Pinal County Superior Court Judge Pro Tem since 2006.
Jim is one of a few Pinal County attorneys qualified to represent defendants charged with capital murder and who are facing the death penalty. Only those attorneys with the most experience and continued education in the most complex criminal defense strategies are qualified to be the lead counsel on these cases.
Jim has represented more than a dozen capital murder defendants and none of them are currently on death row.
Jim received an award from Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice for his work on a capital murder case. The case involved the disqualification of the Pinal County Attorney's Office from prosecuting his client due to unethical actions.
Jim has taught other criminal defense attorneys at a Public Defender Conference owing to his experience. Jim has been asked to be on nationally televised reality TV shows after successful outcomes on two of his capital murder cases. He declined the offer twice because it wasn't in his client's best interest.