Former MCSO Sheriff Joe Arpaio set to be in court Monday for trial

Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will go to court Monday to defend his reputation.

Arpaio, 85, who called himself 'America's Toughest Sheriff' is charged with criminal contempt-of-court for defying a judge's order to stop traffic patrols that targeted immigrants.

Last month, Arpaio and his team of lawyers filed an emergency petition with the United States Supreme Court. Their request is to have a jury trial which the team has been turned down twice for.

Once by a local judge and another time by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

"You have a lot of lawyers who are deciding what the truth is and it's important to have the people do that, not a room full of lawyers," said Jack Wilenchick, Arpaio's attorney.

The key issue in the trail will be whether Arpaio intentionally violated a judge's 2011 order to stop the patrols.

Arpaio acknowledges that he kept up the immigration enforcement, but says it was not on purpose.

For a conviction, prosecutors must prove he intended to disobey the judge.

It's not clear if Apraio will testify, but two people who were illegally detained plan to take the witness stand to describe their traffic stops.

Fox 10 caught up with the former sheriff back in April, who had this to say about his trial: "I have a great lawyer here so I feel very comfortable."

Arpaio could face up to six months in jail, though lawyers who have followed his case doubt he would get locked up.