Arizona Criminal Laws

Whether you go to jail or face a prison term for a possession of drugs charge really depends on three different questions. One, what type of drug are we talking about? Are we talking about marijuana, are we talking about methamphetamine, are we talking about prescription medications? Two, how much of the drug are we talking about? How much have they alleged that you possessed at the time of your arrest? If we’re talking about a small amount, as opposed to a large amount, that’s going to have an impact on whether probation is available or how long a jail or prison term that you may face. The third question we need to find out is, was there any indications or anything that pointed toward you having an intent to sell the drug? Did they recover scales, did they recover grinders, did they recover the drugs from you in individual pre-packaged amounts, which would all indicate that you had these drugs for the purpose of selling them. Obviously, if you had the drugs for sale, you face larger penalties and more significant penalties than you would if it was just a simple possession. Until we answer all three of these questions, the penalties could range anywhere from probation or even having the charges dismissed after a diversion program for a simple possession of marijuana charge, to ten years in prison for selling methamphetamine. If you or a loved one is facing a drug possession charge, whether it’s simple possession or a possession for sale, feel free to give me a call at (480) 994-8824 or email me.

If you’ve received a possession charge in Arizona, contact a criminal defense attorney in your area.

By: Attorney Max Hanson

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

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

Free Case Evaluation in Phoenix

Jared, at AM Law, what is a free case evaluation? That’s a good question. We have people ask that all the time when they call in to talk to us. They want to know, “Is free really free?” and the answer is absolutely yes.

At AM Law, we will talk to any individual, any prospective client that calls us about a criminal matter, or some type of legal matter that we’re able to help them with. We’ll sit down with them, or we’ll talk to them over the phone, whatever’s convenient for them and we’ve met whether it be at our office, or a Starbucks, or a potential client’s home, we’re willing to do that and talk to you about your case and look at any information you may have already been given, whether it’s a police report, or a citation and try to give you an idea of how the case is going to proceed from that point and the type of work that we can do in a case like that and especially the type of experience we may have in a case like that and talk a little bit about the value and the benefits of having an attorney on your case at various stages of a pending matter. So, when we talk about a free case evaluation at AM Law, we are absolutely talking about time that you do not have to pay for.

By: Jared Allen

Whether or not that you’ll be eligible for probation for a drug offense is going to be dependent on three factors. The type of drugs involved, the amount of drugs involved, and also whether there were any indicators that you had intent to sell the drugs involved. When were dealing with smaller amounts and certain drugs, such as marijuana, you may have a statutory right to probation for a first offense. If we’re dealing with a drug, such as methamphetamine, you’re likely going to be facing a jail term and not be eligible for probation, depending on the circumstances of the offense. Anytime that there’s an indication that there’s an intent to sell, you will not be eligible for probation for that type of offense. That’s why it’s important to have a strong, experienced attorney that has handled these types of cases. If you or a loved one have been charged with a drug offense and you have these questions, feel free to give me a call at (480) 994-8824 or email me.

To find out if you’re eligible for probation on a drug charge in Arizona, please contact an Arizona criminal attorney.

By: Attorney Max Hanson

If you are convicted of aggravated assault, this is a serious felony offense that you will not be eligible for probation upon conviction. You will face a significant prison term that can range anywhere between three to twenty-one years in prison. You will also face the possibility of paying fines up to $150,000 and it will have lasting significant impact on you, even upon release from prison as to your right to vote, as to your right to possess or use firearms and as to any future employment. Your employment will be limited by the fact that you have been convicted of a serious and dangerous felony offense. If you or a loved one are facing charges of aggravated assault or have been convicted of charges of aggravated assault and need help, please feel free to contact me 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

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.