Blog

The easiest way to avoid the consequences of shoplifting is not to engage in this activity. But if you are reading this post, it is safe to assume that we are past that point. The bad news about shoplifting consequences is that they are severe. Under Arizona law,...

America’s criminal justice system may have its share of problems, but for the most part, it is one of the fairest systems in the world. In some other countries, police officers routinely accost people on the streets who are doing nothing wrong. Officers then arrest...

Thinking about a new job in Arizona where you know they run background checks? Wondering what information shows up on a criminal record background check? A potential employer may choose to run one of several kinds of background checks: criminal, identity verification,...

One of the most important personal rights in the Constitution did not materialize out of nowhere. In the Middle Ages, English judges often administered oaths ex officio “OEO’s”. These oaths required that suspects truthfully answer all questions, even before they knew...

In many states, contempt of court is a narrowly-defined offense that only applies in certain situations. But Arizona’s version of the contempt law is extremely broad. If you boil down the meaning of the contempt law, it usually applies to direct and indirect contempt....

In Arizona, misdemeanors are considered minor criminal offenses. Some misdemeanor examples include DUI and assault. Of course, if you are either arrested for or a victim of these offenses, you would probably not consider them “minor.” Minor criminal offense or not,...

Let’s talk about bail in terms of being a “security deposit” of sorts. If people rent apartments, they must pay a security deposit and oftentimes even purchase an insurance policy. Both these things protect the landlord if the tenant breaks the lease. The amount of...

You may not realize it, but most Arizona DUIs are first offenses. This crime means you will enjoy a minimum 24 hours in jail; the mandatory sentence could be up to ten days. Even if a Sanctuary Bail Bonds bonding agent (bail bonds Phoenix) secures your release within...

Yes and no. In 1962’s Robinson v. California, the Supreme Court made it clear that there is a difference between conduct (which in this case was using heroin) and status (being addicted to heroin). Criminal laws can punish conduct, but not status. On the other hand,...

It’s a very unsettling feeling when a loved one does not come home in the middle of the night, does not respond to texts, and does not answer the phone. The feeling gets worse when a call comes from a county jail pay phone. At this time, you want information. But...

From both a practical and legal standpoint, the arraignment is the beginning of the official criminal justice process in the state of Arizona. Prior to arraignment, most defendants change out of their street clothes into jail clothes. They also get transferred from a...

In many parts of the world today, the answer to this question is “yes.” Until about a hundred years ago, the answer in the United States was also “yes”!  Then and now, many lenders use the criminal court system as a way to collect money. But in today’s state of...