Donna Leone Hamm, Judge - Ret.

11/14/2025

I am so honored to have been recognized as one of "60 Courageous Judges" by the National Judicial College, Reno, Nevada, in celebration of their 60th Anniversary in 2024. The recognition stems from my work in prison reform AFTER I left the bench as a non-lawyer limited jurisdiction judge. The ceremony held in Las Vegas to hand our awards was a wonderful opportunity to connect with the dedicated administrators of the college, to reunite with fellow judges -- some of whom were retired like me -- and with former professors at the college who were excellent instructors. Thank you National Judicial College!

09/12/2025

Recently testified as one of six prison experts invited to speak before the Ad Hoc Committee on Prisons and Public Safety at the Arizona Legislature. Violence is out of control within Arizona's prisons, and it is due, in part, to weak leadership and mismanagement of the classification system. After many decades of ignoring problems inside Arizona's prisons and allowing major issues to be swept under the rug, legislators are finally taking a hard look at the operational performance of the DOC and demanding answers and results. The DOC has a budget of over $1.5 billion -- taxpayers deserve something more than 11 inmate murders, countless deaths due to poor/negligent medical care, staff shortages which negatively impact almost every department or service, too many suicides, sexual harassment of female inmates, and the list goes on.

09/16/2024

12/26/2023

Wow, this has been a season for recognition and I am so humbled and appreciative. Back in 2020, I was named as one of Arizona's Top Achieving Women by the Arizona Capital Times. In 2023, they named me as one of their "Unsung Heroes" for the prison reform work I've done since 1983. Later in 2023, I was also selected by a vote of peers as one of Arizona Capital Times 'Timeless Icons." What an honor. In the same month, I learned that I had been selected as one of the "Top 60 Courageous Judges" by the National Judicial College (which I attended in 1983) in Reno, Nevada. The school is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and they decided to select 60 graduates who have upheld the ethics of judges and have not been afraid to stand up to criticism. Being labeled an "icon" kind of feels like it's time to retire, but there is plenty of work to do in prison reform so I think I will hang around a bit longer!

07/15/2023

I am both humbled and honored to have been recognized by the Arizona Capitol Times as a "Top Ten Unsung Hero" of 2023. People sometimes ask me why, at my age of 76, I don't retire. But the advocacy work we perform at Middle Ground Prison Reform, plus my private consulting and mitigation work is extremely important to me and to the people we are able to help. We aren't able to move mountains; it's just one stone at a time. I think I'll just keep moving those stones until I can't any longer!

05/18/2022

My work as a former lower court judge taught me to listen to both "sides" of an issue or dispute before making a decision. This approach has helped me enormously in other areas of life, and has been particularly useful in my volunteer prison reform work. In addition, when all stakeholders views are considered and taken into account when resolving problems, everyone benefits and progress is made, even if it isn't as fast or as far as I would prefer.

01/06/2022

Mitigation Reports work to help a defense attorney negotiate a more favorable plea agreement or to convince a judge to impose a shorter sentence when possible. I just finished a mitigation report where the client was facing a tentative plea offer of 17 to 24 years, flat time. At the settlement conference, and after the county attorney read the mitigation, she offered a plea choice of a stipulated plea of 12 1/2 years or allowing defendant to plead to 10 to 15 years with the judge making the final sentencing decision. A thoroughly researched and professional mitigation report made all the difference. And the defense attorney had the county pay for my work because client was indigent.

12/23/2021

Still in contact with the excellent National Judical College and the Univ. of Nevada at Reno. I attended their training and orientation for new judges back in 1981, and they have steadfastly remained in constact since that time. Excellent faculty; helpful classes and discussion, and lifelong contacts with fellow professionals. Thank you NJC.

08/21/2021

Effective September 1, 2021, my business address is: 2121 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 222, Tempe, Arizona 85282 (by appt. only). Telephone remains the same: 480-966-8116