Misdemeanors Crimes Lawyer In Phoenix
Misdemeanors are criminal offenses in Arizona. While they tend to be less severe than Felonies they can still carry jail time and other serious consequences.
Misdemeanors are different from Felonies in that any confinement will be in jail rather than a prison. Additionally, you generally will not forfeit any of your civil rights such as the right to vote or the right to own a firearm. Nevertheless, an Arizona Misdemeanors can and will appear in your background check for employment, credit and rental applications. Therefore, it is very important that you contest your Misdemeanor charges.
Arizona statute A.R.S. 13-707 creates a class misdemeanor system; Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 and Petty Offense Misdemeanors. Each with different penalty ranges.
Class 1 Misdemeanors:
Arizona Class 1 Misdemeanors are the most serious misdemeanor charges you can be facing. If convicted of a Class 1 Misdemeanor you will be facing a jail sentence up to 6 months and a fine up to $2,500.00.
A few common Class 1 Misdemeanors include: DUI, Disorderly Conduct; Drug Paraphernalia; Shoplifting; Drag Racing and Solicitation.
Class 2 Misdemeanors:
Arizona Class 2 Misdemeanors are serious charges. If convicted of a Class 2 Misdemeanor you will be facing a jail sentence of up to 4 months and a fine up to $750.00. Additionally, if you were convicted of the same misdemeanor within the last two years your Class 2 Misdemeanor can be increased to a Class 1.
A few common Class 2 Misdemeanors include: Reckless Driving, Discharge of Firearm and Public Nuisance.
Class 3 Misdemeanors:
Arizona Class 3 Misdemeanors are the least serious charge you can be facing that may result in jail time. If convicted of a Class 3 Misdemeanor you will be facing a jail sentence of up to 1 month and a fine of $500. Additionally, if you were convicted of the same misdemeanor within the last two years your Class 3 misdemeanor can be increased to a Class 2.
A few common Class 3 Misdemeanors include: Criminal Nuisance, Criminal Trespass, Loitering.
Petty Offenses:
Arizona Petty Offenses are the least serious charge you can face in Arizona. While still a criminal offenses; no jail time can be ordered for a petty offense. The maximum you will be facing is a small fine.
A few common Petty Offenses include: Ticket Scalping, Aggressive Panhandling and some municipal offenses such as littering.