(CNN) - A federal judge dismissed the criminal case against Joe Arpaio, the former sheriff of Maricopa County, AZ, on Wednesday.
And she upheld President Trump's authority to pardon the controversial figure. However, she left uncertain whether all rulings and orders will be dismissed as well.
A defense attorney says the judge rejected challenges to his pardon filed by outside groups, and ruled the pardon was valid.
The judge found Arpaio guilty in July of criminal contempt for ignoring an order from another judge to cease detaining people for simply suspecting they are undocumented immigrants.
Trump pardoned Arpaio in late August, and the Justice Department dropped its case. The pardon is unusual because pardons are typically done long after a person has been convicted and sentenced. Arpaio had not yet been sentenced.
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