John J. Checkett

ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, AND ILLINOIS LAWYER LOCATED IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

John grew up in Missouri, in both small towns and bigger cities.  His parents have always had an outsized sense of justice when it came to any situation. They passed that on to John and his two sisters.  

John’s fascination with law, justice, and the way things “should” work started at an early age.  When John was 5 years old, he went on a visit to the Buchanan County Courthouse in the small Missouri town where his family lived.  Instead of quietly sitting out in the courthouse hallway, John was able to peek through the doors of one of the courtrooms to see the way “the law” worked.   Justice for everyone, no matter who you are.  

Ever since then, that has been his guiding principle.  Justice for all, big or small.  

John has an office in Scottsdale, Arizona where he defends health care providers and represents other clients in catastrophic injury cases in Arizona, New Mexico, and Illinois. John has had the privilege to argue cases in the Arizona Supreme Court and the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  

In 2019, he was named as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona as chosen by AzBusiness Magazine.  

“One-dimensional attorneys get one-dimensional results.  Do not place limits on your talents if are able to help your larger community and clients in more than one way.”

This was wise advice from one of John’s mentors.  In John’s legal career, he was a prosecutor for 7 years including assignment in the Sex Crimes and Domestic Violence Unit handling tough, emotional cases for victims of crime.  For the last 20 plus years, John has handled the most serious civil cases and other types of high-profile cases.   He defends dedicated health care providers.  He brings claims for those who have been injured.   For that reason, John represents the largest hospital systems, long-term care providers and physicians’ groups as well as families who have lost a family member to an unjustified shooting or to a serious fatal head-on car crash.  Some of his defense health care clients have later become his clients in non-medical malpractice personal injury cases.  John also takes on a number of pro bono matters, two of which he took to jury trials and received verdicts for his clients who had no money to pay for his representation.  

“Define yourself by your skill and actions, not by an advertising budget.”  

Underdogs come in all shapes and sizes.  With The Checkett Law Firm celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2020 and John celebrating his 28th year as lawyer, his firm continues to take on the biggest and most complex cases in catastrophic injury, wrongful death, civil rights, business, and contract.  The firm gets its cases through referrals.  The firm does not have a full-time marketing person to obtain maximum “market penetration” in defense legal associations or through the use of a catchy music jingle, an oversize billboard, or with a cartoon character.  Instead, the firm has an excellent staff of experienced lawyers, nurse consultants, paralegals, and support staff.  

Because John spent the first seven years of his legal career as a prosecutor, he is at home in the courtroom. John has successfully defended clients at trial where the opposing claimants sought more than $30 million in damages.  He has obtained combined settlements over the years for his personal injury clients in the multiple millions of dollars. He is licensed to practice in U.S. Federal District Court for the District of Arizona, in all state courts in Arizona, New Mexico, and Illinois.   John is a 1989 graduate of Lake Forest College where he was collegiate basketball player and the captain of his college team. He graduated summa cum laude with an undergraduate double major in Economics and Mathematics. He went on to obtain his law degree from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri in 1992. John has served as board member and general counsel for The Arizona Health Care Association since 2007 and formerly served as a board member for The Valley of the Sun YMCA – Scottsdale. John enjoys spending time with his wife Barbro, and is the proud father of their four children.

 Notable Cases and Results

•   Maynard v. Pecos Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Maricopa County Superior Court, 7-week jury trial (claimants sought $30 million from the jury) – Defense verdict in favor of John’s client*

•   Tonto Apache Tribe v. Johnson, Tonto Apache Tribal & Appellate Court (Mr. Checkett handled the criminal appeal of a 64 count unjust criminal conviction against the tribal chairwoman) – the Tribal Appellate Court reversed and dismissed all 64 counts against John’s client*.

•  Daily v. City of Phoenix, U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, John obtained an $800,000.00 wrongful death settlement for his client’s family. John brought the case against the City of Phoenix Police Department for the fatal police shooting of a mentally-ill man. Prior to the settlement, John successfully argued in the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to re-instate the case in U.S. District Court*.  

•   R.D v. Yellow Cab, Maricopa County Superior Court, John obtained a confidential wrongful death and injury settlement for his clients against a cab company where the cab driver drove off Interstate 10 in Phoenix while being distracted on her cell phone.  The wife of his client was killed and the surviving husband was severely injured*.

•   Sauvageau v. Mountain Vista Medical Center, Maricopa County Superior Court, 4½-week jury trial (claimants sought $3 million from the jury) – Defense verdict in favor of John’s hospital client*.

•   Rheiner v. CRPC (skilled nursing facility), Maricopa County Superior Court, 2 week jury trial – Defense verdict in favor of John’s facility client*.

•   Dimperio v. Sun City Health & Rehab, Maricopa County Superior Court, 2 week jury trial – Defense verdict in favor of John’s client *.

* These cases are listed to provide the general background of matters that John has handled. Prior results are not meant to guarantee future outcomes.

Presentations and Publications

•    Speaker, Basics of Interviewing and Investigation in Arizona, National Business Institute, 2002.
•    Speaker, The Pitfalls of Nursing Documentation, Select Specialty Hospital, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 2005.
•    Speaker, The Pitfalls of Nursing Documentation, Mesa General Hospital, Mesa, Arizona, October 12 & 15, 2005.
•    Speaker, Update on Medical Liability, Arizona Geriatrics Association, October 2005.
•    Speaker, Update on Medical Liability, Mesa General Medical Staff, Mesa, Arizona, November 2005.
•    Speaker, Defending the $30 Million Pressure Ulcer Case at Trial, Panel Counsel, Fall 2005.
•    Speaker, The Basics of Nursing Documentation, Phoenix College, October 12, 2006.
•    Speaker, How to Avoid a $30 Million Vulnerable Adult Claim in Arizona, Free Friday Seminars©, March 2007 and May 2007.
•    Speaker, Avoiding Vulnerable Adult Claims in Arizona, 10th Annual Conference, Arizona Chapter of the Assisted Living Federation of America, Spring 2007.
•    Speaker, Nursing Home Malpractice: Evaluating and Addressing Accountability, National Business Institute, June 2007 & June 2008.
•    Speaker, Defending Your Care: How High Profile Cases Impact Your Civil and Criminal Liability, The Arizona Health Care Association’s Annual Conference & Trade Show, 2007.
•    Speaker, Defending the $30 Million Pressure Ulcer Case at Trial, Las Vegas DRI Nursing Home/ALF Litigation Seminar, Guide One Panel Counsel Meeting, September 26, 2007.
•    Speaker, Legal Issues for Nurses and Executive Directors in Assisted Living, Arizona ALFA 5th Annual Nurses and Executive Directors Leadership Conference, October 16, 2007.
•    Speaker, How to Avoid the $30 Million Vulnerable Adult Claim in 2007 and Beyond, Arizona Geriatric Society Annual Conference, November 3, 2007.
•    Speaker, How to Write a Plan of Correction, Arizona Association of Homes and Housing for the Aging, January 24, 2008.
•    Speaker, Defending the $30 Million Pressure Ulcer Case at Trial, Guide One Insurance Agent Panel, Des Moines, Iowa, January 28, 2008.
•    Speaker, Current Legal Issues in Physical Therapy, Arizona Physical Therapy Association, Spring Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, May 2, 2008.
•    Speaker, Understanding the Survey Process, Arizona Assisted Living Federation of America, Spring Conference and Trade Show, Mesa Convention Center, May 7, 2008.
•    Speaker, Ask the Attorney, Arizona Assisted Living Federation of America, Spring Conference and Trade Show, Mesa Convention Center, May 8, 2008.
•    Speaker, How to Avoid a Vulnerable Adult Claim, Arizona Association of Homes and Housing for the Aging, 25th Annual Conference and Exposition, Mesa Convention Center, May 14, 2008.
•    Speaker, Ask an Attorney… A Forum on Law and Long Term Care, Arizona Health Care Association, Renaissance Glendale Hotel, Glendale, Arizona, August 27, 2008.
•    Speaker, How to Avoid a $30 Million Elder Abuse Claim and Other Things that Go Bump in the Night, North Dakota Long Term Care Association’s Fall Conference, Bismarck, North Dakota, September 18, 2008.
•    Speaker, Wound Care Retreat, Arizona Club, October 30 & 31, 2008.
•    Speaker, Understanding The Fair Housing Act, Arizona Assisted Living Nurses Association, Southern Region, Tucson, Arizona, November 12, 2008.
•    Speaker, Arizona’s Adult Protective Services Act, Social Service Contractors Indemnity Pool (SSCIP), Southwestern Behavioral Health Services, Phoenix, Arizona, November 19, 2008.
•    Speaker, Sexuality in Assisted Living (Legal Issues), Arizona Assisted Living Nurses Association, Tempe, Arizona, January 14, 2009.
•    Speaker, Universal Lessons from Long Term Care Litigation, Montana Health Care Association, Helena, Montana, March 23, 2009.
•    Speaker, A Legal Perspective on Incident Investigations, Arizona Health Care Association, Tucson, Arizona, March 24, 2009.
•    Speaker, Pinal-Gila Elder Abuse Conference, Arizona Civil Law & Elder Abuse, Sponsored in part by the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, April 2, 2009.
•    Speaker, Jones v. Shady Pines Rest Home: A Mock Trial Against a Long-Term Care Provider, North Dakota Long Term Care Association, Bismarck, North Dakota, May 7, 2009.
•    Speaker, Antitrust Issues in Health Care, Arizona Health Care Association, Phoenix, Arizona, January 18, 2010.
•    Speaker, Buying and Selling Assisted Living Facilities, Radisson Fort McDowell Resort, Phoenix, Arizona, March 30, 2010.
•    Speaker, Medical Malpractice From A to Z – Trial Pointers, National Business Institute, Hyatt Regency, Phoenix, Arizona, May 21, 2010.
•    Speaker, In Your Defense… Ask An Attorney, Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 25, 2010.
•    Speaker, The Corporate Representative: The “Face” of Your Institutional Client, DRI Nursing Home/ALF Litigation Seminar, Swissotel, Chicago, Illinois, September 23, 2010.
•    Speaker, Legal 101 Question & Answer, Arizona Healthcare Association, Talking Stick Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 24, 2011.
•    Speaker, The Principles of Documentation in Skilled Nursing Facilities, Private In-Service Training, Phoenix, Arizona, February 14, 2012.
•    Speaker, A Critical Look at Arizona’s Legal Climate, Arizona Health Care Association 2012 Spring Leadership Conference, Prescott Conference Resort, Prescott, Arizona, March 27, 2012.
•    Speaker, The Corporate Representative: Tips and Techniques for Successful Depositions, National Webinar, August 7, 2012.
•    Speaker, Ask the Attorney, Arizona Health Care Association Spring Leadership Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona, April 2, 2013.
•    Speaker, Pitfalls of Nursing Documentation, Private In-Service Training, Scottsdale, Arizona, June 20, 2013.
•    Speaker, Just in Case There is a Case: A Mock Deposition, Arizona Health Care Association Spring Leadership Conference, Tucson, Arizona, April 28, 2014.
•    Speaker, Defensive Documentation, AHCA Strive for 5 Forum, Phoenix, Arizona, June 12, 2014.
•    Speaker, Ask a Legal Question – Attorney Panel, Arizona Health Care Association, 2015 AHCA Annual Conference & Trade Show, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 19, 2015.
•    Speaker, Ask an Attorney, New Mexico Health Care Association, 2015 Annual Convention and Expo, Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 17, 2015.
•    Speaker, Investigations in Long Term Care, New Mexico Health Care Association, 2015 Annual Convention and Expo, Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 17, 2015.
•    Speaker, Ethics & Professionalism in Physical Therapy, Northern Arizona University Graduate Class, Phoenix Biomedical Campus, Phoenix, Arizona, March 4, 2016.
•    Speaker, Basics in Documentation, Skilled Nursing Facility In-Service Presentation, Phoenix, Arizona, March 15, 2016.

•    Speaker, Newman v. Select Specialty: What It Means for You, AHCA Strive for Five, Phoenix, Arizona, February 9, 2017.  

•    Speaker, Long Term Care Risk Management Update, Charitable Service Providers and CNA Insurance, Phoenix, Arizona, November 8, 2017.

•    Speaker, Basics of Independent Claims Against Hospitals & the Arizona Supreme Court, Arizona Society for Healthcare Risk Management (AzSHRM), Casa Grande, Arizona, March 15, 2019.

•    Speaker, Mock Deposition Presentation of Medical Malpractice Case Against Physicians and Hospital, Medical Executive Committee, Hospital Client, Phoenix, Arizona, May 14, 2019.

•    Speaker, Sink or Swim… Navigating the Legal Waters in Long Term Care, AHCA 2020 Virtual Annual Convention & Expo: Get Your Quality Kicks on Route 66, Zoom COVID-19 Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, July 27, 2020. 

•   Speaker, The Current Legal Landscape in Assisted Living, Arizona ALFA, Arizona ALFA 2020 Virtual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, August 7, 2020. 

•   Speaker, Understanding Legal Liability During COVID-19, 2021 AHCA Disaster Ready Summit, Phoenix, Arizona, May 13, 2021. 
•   Author, Prosecution Handbook, Chemical Testing in Reckless Homicide and DUI Cases, 1998.