An Arizona Superior Court judge has stepped down following an alleged incident in which she was seen urinating in public near the courthouse where she worked. Prescott police reported that former Judge Kristyne Schaaf-Olson was observed urinating around 1:30 a.m. on October 4, according to AZFamily.
In body-camera footage, an officer asks, “What are you doing?” The woman replies, “I’m waiting for an Uber.” The officer responds, “This is unacceptable.” Moments later, Schaaf-Olson’s husband, Jason Olson, approaches the scene. When asked if he is her husband, he confirms it, and the officer tells him to wait beside a taxi. Olson then reaches for her hand, prompting the officer to state, “You can’t because I’m conducting an investigation.”
The officer claims to have witnessed Schaaf-Olson “puking and urinating, exposing herself to several people,” but Olson denies it. The officer warns, “You can go by the cab or continue to interfere with the investigation.” Olson refuses, leading to his detention.
According to the police report, witnesses alerted officers to the incident. Body-camera footage shows Schaaf-Olson struggling to stand behind a bush, with the officer noting she “appeared to have lost her balance” and “fell over in the bush.” She was cited for urinating or defecating in public, a misdemeanor offense.
In the video, Schaaf-Olson identifies herself as a judge, saying, “That’s fine. I want to let you know, my name is Judge Kristyne Olson.” She is seen struggling to sign the citation before an officer instructs her to do so on a screen.
Jason Olson was cited for resisting arrest, interfering with a crime scene investigation, and obstruction of government operations. Days later, Yavapai County Superior Court confirmed Schaaf-Olson had submitted her resignation, effective October 31. In a statement dated October 6, she cited “current physical, medical, and family circumstances” as the reason for stepping down, stating she believed the community deserved judges “steadfast in their commitment” to serving Yavapai County.