Many people arrested in Arizona—especially those arrested for the first time—ask, “What’s the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?” Arizona law clearly distinguishes between these two classifications, with each carrying distinct consequences for sentencing, criminal records, and long-term opportunities. At The Law Offices of John Phebus, we help clients in Arizona navigate these complex classifications and work toward the most favorable outcomes possible.
What Are Misdemeanors?
Misdemeanors represent less serious criminal offenses under Arizona law. Arizona classifies misdemeanors into three categories: Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3, with Class 1 representing the most serious misdemeanor level.
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Robbery is already a serious felony offense in Arizona. When it is committed with one or more accomplices, it becomes aggravated robbery under Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-1903.

Aggravated robbery is a Class 3 felony in Arizona.

AZ Defenders represents people charged with robbery and aggravated robbery in Arizona. If you have been charged with aggravated robbery, call us at (480) 456-6400 or contact us online to talk with an experienced Arizona criminal defense lawyer.

How Arizona Law Defines Aggravated Robbery

ARS 13-1903 is a short statute. Here it is in full:

Aggravated robbery; classification

A. A person…
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Under Arizona law, robbery can take different forms, including armed robbery and aggravated robbery. In this post, we focus on the basic offense of robbery, as it is defined under Arizona Revised Statutes Section 13-1902.

While theft and robbery involve taking someone else’s property without that person’s permission, an important difference between these two offenses is that robbery involves taking something from the victim directly in their presence with some kind of threat or force to coerce someone to surrender property.

If you have been accused of any kind of robbery charges in Arizona, call AZ Defenders at (480) …
Continue Reading Robbery in Arizona: ARS 13-1902

In Arizona, trafficking in stolen property means knowingly or recklessly selling, transferring, distributing, dispensing, or otherwise disposing of stolen property. Trafficking in stolen property includes buying, receiving, possessing, or obtaining control of stolen property with the intent to sell, transfer, distribute, dispense, or otherwise dispose of the property.

The Arizona law that makes trafficking in stolen goods illegal is Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-2307. Depending on the circumstances, a conviction under this law is a Class 3 felony or a Class 2 felony.

If you have been charged with trafficking in stolen goods in Arizona, AZ Defenders…
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Shoplifting is a common theft crime in Arizona. Under Arizona law, depending on the circumstances of the crime, a conviction for shoplifting can be either a misdemeanor or a felony offense. In either case, you could face incarceration, fines, restitution, and other legal and social consequences.

If you are facing a shoplifting charge in Arizona, AZ Defenders can help. We represent individuals in Arizona accused of all kinds of theft crimes, including shoplifting. To speak with one of our experienced criminal defense lawyers, call us at (480) 456-6400 or contact us online at any time, any day of the year.
Continue Reading Shoplifting in Arizona: ARS 13-1805

Falling behind on student loan payments can quickly trigger collection actions, wage garnishment, and aggressive servicing tactics. Chapter 13 bankruptcy does not erase most student loans, but it can stop collection activity and create a structured, court-supervised plan to manage them. 

For help understanding how student loans are treated in Chapter 13 bankruptcy and how this option may apply to your situation, call Stone Rose Law at (480) 739-2448 to speak with a bankruptcy attorney.

Understanding Student Loan Debt in Bankruptcy

Student loan debt is treated differently from most other debts under bankruptcy law. Federal student loans and many private…
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Student loans behave differently from most other debts in bankruptcy, and misunderstanding how they are treated in Chapter 7 can lead to bad decisions and missed opportunities. While Chapter 7 does not automatically erase student loans, it can still play an important role in stopping collection actions, stabilizing finances, and setting up a longer-term strategy. 

To discuss how Chapter 7 bankruptcy affects student loans and whether filing makes sense in your situation, call Stone Rose Law at (480) 739-2448 to speak with a bankruptcy attorney.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and Student Loans

Bankruptcy law treats student loan debt differently from other…
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Student loan garnishment can start with little warning, reduce your paycheck every pay period, and make it harder to keep up with basic living expenses. 

Many borrowers believe there is no way to stop student loan garnishment once it begins, but that is not accurate. There are several legal and administrative options available, and the right approach often depends on whether garnishment has already started and whether the loans are federal or private.

If you are facing student loan garnishment or have received a garnishment notice, call Stone Rose Law at (480) 739-2448 to speak with a bankruptcy attorney about…
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Hi everyone!  We are delighted to share more details and registration information for the Dispute Resolution Educators Colloquium on April 16-17, 2026 and the call for proposals for a Poster Session at the Friday event. Thursday, April 16, 2026, 6:00pm – 8:00pm Cardozo will host the ABA DR Section Regional Meetup where the students of the Cardozo … Continue reading DR Educators Colloquium April 16 & 17 →
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Another year, another round of California employment law changes—and this time, workplace investigations are in the spotlight. The result? Four new laws and a state appellate court case broadened employee protections and introduced new compliance obligations that will influence the scope and execution of investigations. This quick read includes a summary of the most pertinent changes that will impact workplace investigations in 2026 and beyond. SB 513 — Expanded Employee Access to Personnel Records Includes Training DocumentationEffective: January 1, 2026

  • What does the Bill say? Senate Bill 513 amends California law to explicitly include training and education records within

…
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“The plan encourages homeownership while helping overcome the affordability issue; thecomplexities arise via the lending rules”

Media Contact: Barbara M. Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications; [email protected]; 248.260.8466

Royal Oak, Mich.—January 21, 2026—Amid a flurry of news last week was an interestingannouncement by President Trump: a proposed plan to allow the use of 401(k) plan money to be usedtoward the down payment of a home for first-time home buyers. Is it an election year attention grabberor a much-needed opportunity to loosen the grip of a stubbornly tight home market? National employeebenefits litigation and ERISA attorney J.J. Conway of Michigan-based J.J. Conway Law believes…
Continue Reading National Employee Benefits And ERISA Litigator Looks At Pros And Cons Of Proposed Trump Administration Plan To Allow Use Of Pre-Tax 401(k) Funds For First-Time Home Buyer Down Payments

This isn’t mystical thinking or motivation poster nonsense. It’s how human behavior actually works in practice. Most people think success happens to other people who got luckier breaks or better genetics or more helpful connections. What they’re missing is that your mindset about yourself is the single most powerful predictor of whether you’ll actually accomplish what you set out to do.

When you believe you can succeed at something, that belief becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you believe you can’t, the same thing happens. Your attitude and self-perception are the foundation everything else gets built on.

When you believe you…
Continue Reading Whether You Think You Can or You Think You Can’t, You’re Right

SEO, AEO, and GEO. These are acronyms that get tossed around whenever people talk about digital marketing today. Sometimes they seem to mean the same thing, and other times their meaning is totally unclear or confusing.  Each, however, serves a distinct purpose. And for small law firms, knowing how to use them isn’t just helpful […]
The post SEO vs. AEO vs. GEO: What Does It All Mean for Law Firm Websites? appeared first on LawLytics.
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WHEN IS AN INVOICE REALLY AN INVOICE? All court decisions are opinions. Appellate court decisions are typically made by a panel of three judges. Here, after a dispute arose 19 years earlier, two judges formed the majority opinion, described below. The third judge disagreed and wrote a dissenting opinion, also described below. With whom would […]
The post Roads & Bridges | When is an Invoice Really an Invoice? appeared first on Heavy Construction Law Blog | Jonathan Straw.
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What would you do if you ran a business that regularly had trials with millions of dollars potentially at stake and you needed to hire a lawyer to try those cases for you? How would you go about selecting that lawyer. I can pretty much guarantee that you wouldn’t choose based on seeing someone’s picture on a highway billboard or on the side of a bus.

The Defense Malpractice Attorney 2

This is the problem faced by medical malpractice insurance companies. They insure lots of doctors. They promise to defend those doctors, if they get sued, and to pay any…
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Article Summary

  • Yes. A new dog bite law became effective in Arizona in September of 2025, requiring dog owners to stay at the scene and exchange information with the victim.
  • Consequences for fleeing the scene include a Class 2 Misdemeanor, which could result in fines and potential jail time.
  • The previous law only required that the dog bite be reported to animal control.

Arizona has had a pretty cut-and-dry approach for handling situations where a dog bites someone who isn’t its owner. But a new law has added even more strength to the state’s stance on dog bite liability, putting…
Continue Reading New Arizona Dog Bite Law: What the “Bite and Run” Rule Means for Victims