Arizona Criminal Laws

Importance of Trial Experience in Phoenix

Is it important for a defense attorney to have actual experience in trial? I think it abolutely is. The shear volume of trials that we’ve done has provided us with tremendous experience, however, it’s really quality over quantity is how I look at it.

Both Steven and I have done very specific types of felony trials, misdemeanor trials, all the way down to citations and traffic offenses in our career as prosecutors and that’s translated to the same type of success that we had as prosecutors and now translated as defense attorney as well. When you’re familiar with how a courtroom is run, how juries respond to the type of information that’s being presented to them, that is valuable in not only presenting at trial, but in negotiating a resolution for your client.

One of the things we try to avoid at all costs is going to a trial, because we don’t want to put that decision in somebody else’s hands as to how this case is going to resolve. But, because we know how to do good trial work, we do good pre-trial work and we’re able to get the results we’d like to get after a trial at an earlier stage where the risk is much lower.

By: Jared Allen

Solomon Kanu – Criminal Defense

We handle mostly DUI cases, misdemeanors, and some classes three, four, and six felonies. I started doing criminal defense; more because I found a lot of my immigration clients get into trouble without knowing what they were doing. The stakes are very, very high for an immigrant to be involved in any criminal violation in Arizona. Little offenses, DUIs that trigger one day jail in Arizona will render the person removable the moment the come out from jail. Immigration will take a hold of them. They will be subject to deport them. They have to be advised of how to live in United States; because it’s a different country for them and different set of rules.

Aggravated assault is a serious felony offense. It involves an assault under special circumstances are involving a particular person or party. Example would be, using a dangerous weapon or dangerous instrument during an assault, such as a knife or a firearm, can subject you to aggravated assault charges. Causing any sort of serious physical injury to another during an assault, such as broken bones or other disfigurement can also result in felony aggravated assault charges. In addition, simple assaults against a particular person, such as a police officer, or a firefighter, or an EMT can result in aggravated assault felony charges. Felony charges are serious business. It can impact your ability to get a job. It can impact your ability to have a firearm. It can also impact your ability to vote. If you or a family member have been charged with a serious felony aggravated assault, you need legal help today. Feel free to give me a call at (480) 994-8824 or you can contact me at my email.

If you’ve been charged with aggravated assault in Arizona, view a profile and complete a contact form.

By: Attorney Max Hanson

Field sobriety tests refer to those tests the officers do during the course of a DUI investigation or driving under the influence investigation. They usually take place outside the suspect’s car. They involve the classic walk and turn while walking heel to toe, the one legged stand where you stand on one leg for a period of time, the touching your nose while your eyes are closed and those type of classic tests that we all have heard about before, as far as testing for sobriety or not. These tests are designed to give the officer evidence of your impairment by reason of alcohol of your ability to drive. These tests can be biased depending on your physical capabilities. You might not be able to perform certain parts of this test, like the one leg stand, depending on what your physical condition is. If you’re older or have back problems or something else that may impact your ability to actually complete the test whether or not you were impaired or you were completely sober. They’re not good indicators. You are not required to take these tests. The courts have held you are not required to take these tests. You could refuse and can refuse to take these tests with no ramifications either to your driver’s license or to your court case if you are charged with DUI. If you or a loved one have been charged with DUI, please give me a call at (480) 994-8824 or email me.

By: Attorney Max Hanson

Advantages of Criminal Law Practice

With that said, what in your view is the most rewarding thing about practicing criminal law. For me personally and I think for our firm, anytime you can get a client the result they want and for every case that’s going to be different. For some clients that means an acquittal after trial, for other clients it simply means the best deal they can get given their circumstances. But, when you get to that point in a case where you’ve been able to accomplish what the client wants and the client is not only happy with the result, but their relieved, their thankful, that as a criminal defense attorney is the most rewarding aspect, is knowing you’ve been able to walk hand in hand with someone through a process that is for many of our clients, something they’re experiencing for the first time and something that may be the most difficult thing they’ve ever faced. And to come through it on the other side with an outcome that they wanted, there is nothing more rewarding in the practice of law at all.

And speaking of cases, what kind of cases do you handle? At our firm, we handle a full range of criminal defense cases. Everything from speeding tickets all the way up to some of the most serious offenses you hear about on the news and everything in between. One of the areas we specialize in is DUI defense, but we also cover many other types of misdemeanors, such domestic violence offenses, violent crimes, drug offenses and all manner of felony offenses. So, we pride ourselves in being a full service criminal defense firm that can handle any type of criminal defense case that any of our clients might be facing.

By: Steven Meyerand

The range of penalties for intent to sell marijuana can range from everything down to probation, all the way up to 12-1/2 years in prison, plus up to $150,000 in fines, plus the special assessment on selling marijuana cases, which is $750, or three times the value of the drugs. Which if were talking about a large amount of marijuana, could be substantial, as opposed to what you’re already paying in fines and assessments. Additionally, you’re looking at at least 240 hours of community service for a conviction of this charge and the impact it can have to your future employment. If you or a loved one have been charged with a possession of marijuana with intent to sell, please give me a call at (480) 994-8824 or email me.

If you would like to discuss an intent to sell marijuana charge with a Scottsdale criminal attorney, please visit a profile page and complete a contact form.

By: Max Hanson

Trial Cooperation

If witnesses refuse to cooperate with the police, will the case be dismissed? That’s a good question. I’d say it’s an urban legend that if a witness doesn’t want to prosecute, or doesn’t want to testify in a trial setting, then that case is going to be dismissed and we hear that at AM Law from clients in not just domestic violence cases, but cases in general.

We try to educate our clients based on our experience as prosecutors having had those difficulties in getting witnesses to trial, or getting witnesses to the interview prior to a trial. If you’re counting on that as your 100% sure fire way to get your case handled, then your most likely going to be disappointed with the result. We talk about the experience we had as prosecutors, because the power of the state is significant.

Court Subpoena

They can subpoena and compel witnesses to appear in court and that can be as aggressive as going out and arresting the individual that has said that they don’t want to come and testify or that they don’t want to prosecute the case and bring them before the court to testify more or less against their will. So, we try to explain to our clients that we want to build a defense that isn’t dependent on luck, or circumstances that are outside of our control.

Allen & Meyerand

We want to do what we can control here within these four walls. That involves using our experience to talk with prosecutors about potential results that would be beneficial for both parties and we see in domestic violence a lot of times that it is beneficial to have a counseling, or an anger management, or even a familial type of counseling resolution in lieu of having a conviction. That, often times, is enough for the behavior to not be repeated. And then obviously if the behavior is repeated, then there are more serious consequences down the line for those types of offenders.

By: Jared Allen

If you are convicted of assault, a criminal misdemeanor in Arizona, you could be facing up to 6 months in jail, you could be facing fines totaling over $2500, especially if we consider all of the assessments, jail cost, mandatory fees owing to the court. Plus, you could be responsible for restitution to the victim for any out of pocket costs, medical expenses or otherwise that resulted from the assault and you can face significant restrictions upon your future employment. If you’re a teacher, if you’re a doctor, a realtor, someone with professional certification and licensing, that licensing could be effected by the nature of your conviction for assault. If you or a loved one have been charged with assault, you need to call an attorney today. Feel free to call me at (480) 994-8824 or contact me by email.

If you’ve been convicted of assault in Arizona, visit a profile and complete a contact form.

By: Attorney Max Hanson