In Arizona, committing forgery can be as simple as mimicking someone else’s signature on a check and presenting it to a bank to be cashed. In other cases, though, forgery methods can be more complex, involving a variety of tools specifically designed or adapted to forge written instruments. Possessing these kinds of tools with the intent to use them to commit forgery is a crime under Arizona law.

A conviction for criminal possession of a forgery device is a Class 5 or a Class 6 felony offense in Arizona.

At AZ Defenders, we defend clients accused of forgery-related crimes, including…
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Hazing is an activity that traditionally has taken place among college students in fraternity hazing cases, but it is not limited to them. Hazing became a criminal offense in Arizona effective with the 2022 enactment of Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Sections 13-1215 and 13-1216. A conviction for hazing under Arizona law can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the physical harm done.

In this blog post, we discuss what constitutes hazing and the applicable penalties for a conviction of hazing. 

If you have been accused of participating in a hazing incident in Arizona ,AZ Defenders law firm…
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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) …
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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.
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Under Arizona law, arson of an occupied structure means knowingly and unlawfully damaging a structure by causing a fire or explosion, where the structure is occupied or likely to be occupied by people at the time of the incident.

Arson of an occupied structure is a Class 2 felony offense and the most serious form of arson, which can lead to a prison sentence of up to 12.5 years upon conviction, and that’s if you do not have any prior felony convictions.

At AZ Defenders, our Arizona criminal defense attorneys represent people charged with many kinds of crimes, including arson…
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In Arizona, it is unlawful to cause a child to suffer physical injury, to allow a child to be injured, or to put a child in a situation that endangers that child’s health or well-being. These behaviors are known as child abuse.

Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-3623 is the Arizona law that sets forth criminal child abuse. The law applies to anyone responsible for a child’s care, regardless of that person’s relationship to the child. It covers physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation, and/or abandonment.

A conviction for child abuse can range from a Class 1 misdemeanor up to…
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Under Arizona law, the crime of theft can take different forms. Depending on the specific kind of theft, the crime can be a misdemeanor or a felony.

In this post, we at AZ Defenders analyze Arizona’s theft crime statute, Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-1802. We identify the various types of theft, the penalties associated with each, and some possible defenses to a charge of theft.

If you are facing criminal charges for theft in Arizona, call AZ Defenders at (480) 456-6400 or contact us online to speak with one of our experienced criminal defense attorneys.

How Does Arizona…
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Under Arizona law, organized retail theft can occur in one of two ways:

• When a person, acting alone or with someone else, takes merchandise from a retail establishment without paying for its purchase price and has the intention to sell, trade, or otherwise receive money or something of value for that merchandise; or
• When a person uses an artifice, instrument, container, device, or other article to facilitate the removal of merchandise from a retail establishment without paying its purchase price.

Organized retail theft is a Class 4 felony in Arizona under Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-1819. A first-time…
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In Arizona, first-degree burglary is a more serious variation of second- or third-degree burglary. The legal definition of first-degree burglary is that a person or an accomplice commits a second-degree or third-degree burglary offense while knowingly in possession of explosives, a deadly weapon, or a dangerous instrument during the commission of the offense.

Under Arizona law, a first-degree burglary conviction is a Class 2 felony or Class 3 felony, depending on the nature of the property that was burglarized, which may result in up to 21 years in prison for a first time offender.

AZ Defenders represents people charged…
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Under Arizona law, a person commits second-degree burglary when that person unlawfully enters or remains in a residential structure with the intent to commit any theft or any felony inside. 

A conviction for second-degree burglary is a Class 3 felony in Arizona that can result in a prison term of up to 8.75 years for a first offense.

In this post, we consider the following aspects of second-degree burglary:

• How Arizona law defines the offense
• Penalties for a conviction
• Possible defenses

AZ Defenders represents clients accused of all forms of burglary charges in Arizona, including second-degree burglary.

If you have…
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In Arizona, you commit a third-degree burglary offense if you enter or remain in a commercial or other non-residential structure, or a fenced yard, with the intent to commit theft or a felony offense, or making entry into any part of a motor vehicle by means of a manipulation key or master key, with the intent to commit any theft or felony in the motor vehicle

Compared to first-degree burglary and second-degree burglary, third-degree burglary is the least serious form of burglary, but a conviction for third-degree burglary is still a Class 4 felony. For a first-time offender, this…
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