Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel plans to return to work on Monday

Adel previously announced she was seeking medical treatment for multiple issues

The+Maricopa+County+Superior+Courthouse%2C+located+in+downtown+Phoenix.

Tony Webster

The Maricopa County Superior Courthouse, located in downtown Phoenix.

Allister Adel, the top prosecutor in Maricopa County, has announced she will return to work on Monday after seeking treatment for anxiety, alcohol abuse, and an eating disorder.

“I am home with my family and look forward to returning to (the) office on Monday,” a statement released by Adel’s office on Friday said. “I continue to make my recovery a priority but (I) have been cleared by my medical team to return to work.”

Adel initially entered rehab on Aug. 29 and was transferred to a facility in California earlier this month. The 44-year-old, named Maricopa County Attorney in 2019 and elected to a full term in 2020, publicly acknowledged she was in treatment on Sept. 10 but would continue her duties in some capacity.

This is Adel’s second medical leave in two years, following a hospitalization after a fall in her home last year.

“Nobody suffering from mental health issues should feel alone,” Adel’s statement read. “My own journey has reaffirmed my commitment to a treatment first approach to prosecution and I am committed to continuing the work of the county attorney’s office.”

Adel’s office has been under scrutiny throughout 2021 after multiple investigations revealed collusion with Phoenix Police to charge Black Lives Matter protestors under gang statutes. Those cases were summarily dismissed, and an outside investigation cleared Adel of wrongdoing, though key prosecutor April Sponsel maintains Adel knew and tacitly approved of the collusion efforts.