Arizona (AZ) Criminal Law, Maricopa County - Palmisano Law Firm

Criminal law in Maricopa county, Arizona includes many different offenses and penalties. According to the state, its purpose is being there to identify and remove people who threaten public safety. This type of law includes misdemeanor and felony offenses that are further separated into degrees.

A criminal conviction is damaging even after the penalties are served. Those with a felony criminal record lose certain civil privileges such as voting, running for public office, or serving on a jury. A criminal record can also hinder employment and housing. In cities like Mesa and Phoenix, people are not willing to hire someone with a criminal record or allow them to rent their property.

Although Arizona criminal law is arraigned like laws in other states, Arizona has some unique qualities about it. First of all, Maricopa county has a very large Native American population. In Phoenix, Native Americans are frequently involved in the Native American justice system. It is a special collaboration between federal law, Arizona law, and tribal law. Arizona also has an active death penalty, and detailed laws on prostitution.

There are many offenses within the Arizona criminal system, and some are more known than others. Homicide and violent crimes are what most people think of when criminal law crosses their mind. Homicide basically occurs when a crime results in death. Violent crimes are crimes that hurt people. Other well known criminal level crimes are those that have the potential to physically hurt people. They include drug crimes, sex crimes, and driving under the influence. Physical offenses between family members are also considered the criminal offense called domestic violence.

Criminal offenses can also be about property and money. Theft and fraud are often viewed as victimless crimes, but they are serious offenses in Arizona cities such as Tempe and Gilbert. Even crime committed by organizations or concerning business is not exempt from criminal prosecution. Forgery and commercial fraud are some examples of white collar crimes that will land you in trouble in the state.

There are some criminal offenses in Arizona law that may come as a surprise to some. Whereas it is  not uncommon for a state to have trespassing laws, Arizona has specific laws against trespassing on military facilities, reservation security and commercial nuclear generating stations. There are also laws against excavation, and the general disturbance of caves and caverns. There are three separate laws concerning cable television, and one against ticket scalping. The most surprising for some people might be the law concerning used catalytic converters. These may seem like small offense, but if even if you are in Chandler, Arizona they are still criminal offenses.

For all criminal offenses, they can be broken down into a few categories. First of all, they are divided into misdemeanor or felony offenses.  Felony offenses are further grouped by whether they are homicides, dangerous crimes against children, or simply dangerous offenses. All criminal offenses are also given degrees that determine the severity of the charge. The lower the number in a criminal charge, the more severe it is.

All felony offenses will result in time in prison. For homicide offenses in Arizona, penalties range from four years in prison to the death penalty.  Crimes against children penalties range from 2.5 years in prison to life imprisonment.  Other dangerous offenses range in penalties from 1.5 years to 35 years in prison. Non dangerous felonies convictions will have at least 4 months in prison.

Misdemeanor offenses often result in jail time, probation and heavy fines. For the highest class of misdemeanor offenses, jail time can be up to 6 months with $20,000 in fines. The lowest misdemeanor, a petty offense, only has fees. Some misdemeanors, such as certain DUI offenses, have specific penalties made to fit the crime.

Criminal law in Maricopa county, Arizona can be an intimidating and complex process, but when navigated with a lawyer the process can be less daunting. Contact our office if you have been charged with any Phoenix, Mesa or Tempe criminal offense for the help you can use.