Arizona’s judicial scene was left stunned this month after one of its own found herself on the wrong side of the law and in one very embarrassing situation. Judge Kristyne Schaaf-Olson, 42, of Yavapai County, reportedly made headlines for all the wrong reasons after being caught on camera urinating in public while appearing intoxicated on a Prescott street. The Arizona judge’s late-night misstep not only sparked outrage but also led to her swift resignation just days later.
The bizarre chain of events unfolded around 1:30 a.m. on October 4, when several witnesses flagged down local police officers about a woman seen stumbling and falling into a bush. When officers arrived, they were stunned to discover Schaaf-Olson with her pants down, clearly disoriented, and struggling to regain her balance. The officer’s body cam footage captured her attempting to climb onto a nearby bench while her husband, Jason, hovered nearby, per Daily Mail.
“What are you doing? This is disgusting,” the officer can be heard saying in the footage. Schaaf-Olson, slurring her words, told the cop she was simply waiting for an Uber, though the scene suggested otherwise. Witnesses told police she had been “puking and urinating” in public view before officers arrived, not exactly the kind of behavior you’d expect from someone wearing a judicial robe by day.
Arizona Judge Busted For Public Urination
As things escalated, her husband tried to intervene, repeatedly ignoring the officer’s orders to step back. Despite multiple warnings, he refused to comply and was eventually taken to the ground and handcuffed. “Why didn’t you listen, bro?” another officer is heard saying in the footage, a line that could’ve been lifted straight out of a police reality show.
The irony of it all? The officer initially planned only to issue Schaaf-Olson a citation for public urination. Instead, her husband’s resistance turned a messy situation into a full-blown viral incident. According to reports, Schaaf-Olson was too intoxicated to even spell her own name correctly. She was cited and released, while Jason was booked into Yavapai County Jail on multiple charges, including obstruction and resisting arrest.
Days later, Schaaf-Olson handed in her resignation as Judge Pro Tempore of the Yavapai County Superior Court. In her statement, she cited “physical, medical, and family circumstances” as her reasons for stepping down. “It has been a pleasure serving the Yavapai community,” she said.
Judge Kristyne Schaaf-Olson Has Resigned
The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct confirmed that Schaaf-Olson self-reported the incident, and the investigation remains ongoing. Her last day on the bench is set for October 31, a Halloween she likely won’t forget anytime soon. Both she and her husband are scheduled for pre-trial conferences in the coming months.
“Objection!” one person jokingly commented. “I hope the bush didn’t die,” another chimed in. “She was just going to get a ticket. Her husband escalated things,” a third person pointed out. “Her husband’s an idiot,” another agreed.
In the end, the Arizona legal system has learned an awkward lesson: even judges aren’t immune to bad nights, bad choices, and body cam footage that can turn a private mistake into a very public scandal.
Hunter Spears 
Sabrina Russell 
