John Keegan (judge)

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John Charles Keegan
Judge of Arizona Justice Court
In office
2007 – Incumbent
Born February 21, 1952 (1952-02-21) (age 56)
Flag of the United States Tempe, Arizona
Political party Republican
Spouse Lisa Graham Keegan
Religion Espicopalian

John Charles Keegan is a judge of the Justice Court in Maricopa County, Arizona.[1]

He was Mayor of Peoria, Arizona from June 1997 to January 2007.[2] During that period, the population of Peoria more than doubled and the city was consistently ranked as one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. Major initiatives were undertaken with respect to land use planning, cultural opportunities, and economic development. As mayor, he instituted an ethics committee for elected officials as well as appointed officers. An accomplishment of particular note was the creation of the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts. Protecting Luke Air Force Base from encroachment was a particularly significant effort. In 2005 he led a statewide effort to expand access to the Pentagon Channel for service members in Arizona.[3]

In his current position, he sits on the Professional Standards Committee and is an advocate for increased accountability of judges. [4] [5]

In 1991 to 1995, Keegan served two terms in the Arizona House of Representatives. In the legislature, Keegan chaired the Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, was Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee, and was the first Chairman of the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. He was an active member of several organizations dealing with juvenile crime and formed a collation of prosecutors, police agencies, and school officials to develop legislation and other solutions to the issue. [2] As a member of the House government committee, he was a leading advocate for reform. In 1994 he was accused by a political opponent of campaign irregularities. No charges were ever brought, although he withdrew from the race for unrelated reasons. The officials charged with conducting the investigation into the allegations, Grant Woods, Arizona Attorney General, and Jane Dee Hull, Arizona Secretary of State and later governor, subsequently endorsed Keegan in his election for Mayor of Peoria. [6]

Since 1979 he was a consulting engineer and owned his own firm from 1987. John Keegan holds professional licenses as a Professional Engineer (civil) in Arizona, and three other states, and as a Registered Land Surveyor in Arizona. [7] In 1990 he was elected the president of the Arizona Society of Professional Engineers, the state affiliate of the National Society of Professional Engineers. In 1991 he was awarded the state society's Distinguished Leadership Award.[8]

In 1996 John Keegan was elected to the Maricopa County Charter Government Commission. The commission was an attempt to modernize the 19th century governance model for the county.[9] In 2002 he was a Republican candidate for the United States Congress from the second congressional district in Arizona.[10]

He served on active duty in the United States Army and retired with the rank of Commander from the US Naval Reserve in 2000. Most of his military service was in counterintelligence, special operations, or as a criminal investigations agent. [11]

In 2005, the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America presented John Keegan with the Silver Beaver Award for "distinguished service to youth."[2] In 2008 he was elected president of the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts of American, which serves approximately 80,000 youth and adult volunteers. He is a life member of the National Eagle Scout Association, and a churchwarden of the Episcopal Church.[12] His hobbies include firing his full scale American Civil War mountain howitzer.

John Keegan is married to Lisa Graham Keegan, and they have five children.[2]

[edit] See also

United States Army Portal
United States Navy Portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ Justice Courts. Retrieved on 2007-11-23.
  2. ^ a b c d Office of the Mayor, John C. Keegan. Retrieved on 2007-11-23.
  3. ^ Ariz. Mayor Working to Broaden Pentagon Channel's Audience. Retrieved on 2007-12-03.
  4. ^ Justice bill could change face of state's courts. Retrieved on 2008-03-03.
  5. ^ Arizona Capitol Times, April 11, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
  6. ^ "Keegan and Pearson question campaign tactics", Peoria Times, Vol. 45, No. 20, May 16, 1997, pp. A-1. 
  7. ^ Arizona Board of Technical Registration=.
  8. ^ Arizona Society of Professional Engineers. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
  9. ^ State Press Stories for Monday, 11/4/96. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
  10. ^ PBS political analysis. Retrieved on 2007-12-03.
  11. ^ John Keegan's career: Mayor, JP, undercover agent. Retrieved on 2007-11-23.
  12. ^ Episcopal Diocese of Arizona. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.