Right now there's a clock running. Arizona's Rule 4.1 says you must be brought before a magistrate within 24 hours of arrest, your release conditions get set at that first appearance, and anything you say to police can lock in your exposure before you ever see a courtroom. Whether it's a misdemeanor citation out of a Justice or Municipal Court or a felony booking headed to Superior Court, you need to understand the charge in plain English — what class it is, what it carries, and what comes next. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, any hour, and our AI legal assistant trained on Arizona and federal law will walk you through it. Information, not advice — and no attorney-client relationship is created.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across Arizona.
Stop talking and ask for a lawyer, out loud, then stay silent. In Arizona you can give your name and basic ID, but you do not have to answer questions about what happened — and your invocation ('I'm using my right to remain silent and I want a lawyer') has to be unambiguous to actually stop the questioning. Do not consent to searches, do not explain, do not try to talk your way out. Write down the exact charge, the arresting agency, and your next court date the moment you know them. Then call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, to understand what that charge actually carries before your initial appearance.
Here's what blindsides people: for every felony offense committed in Arizona on or after January 1, 1994, there is no parole. Under 'truth in sentencing,' you serve at least 85% of the prison term, with only narrow earned-release credits (one day for every six served) shaving off the rest. That's why the fight over whether a judge lands on the presumptive versus the aggravated term, and whether the State alleges a prior or dangerousness, matters far more here than in parole states — a 'presumptive' 5 years on a first non-dangerous Class 2 isn't 5-with-a-chance-out-early, it's roughly 4¼ years actually served before community supervision. The mechanics that decide that number get set in motion in the first days of your case. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand exactly what your charge carries before those numbers harden — information, not advice.
If you can't afford a private attorney, Arizona has real criminal-side resources — court-appointed defense, free clinics, and record-relief help. These are independent organizations, not Legal Hotline; we list them so you have somewhere to turn.
I was just arrested in Arizona — what happens in the next 24 hours?
Under Ariz. R. Crim. P. 4.1, you must be brought before a magistrate within 24 hours of arrest or be released — that initial appearance is where the judge reads the charge and sets your release conditions. It is not your trial and not the place to argue the facts. Before it happens, you want to understand what you're charged with and what it carries. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, and we'll walk you through it as information, not advice.
What's the difference between my initial appearance and arraignment in Arizona?
The initial appearance (within 24 hours) is fast and procedural: the charge is read and release conditions are set. The arraignment — generally within 10 days of a filed indictment or information in Superior Court if you're in custody, 30 days if released — is where you formally enter a plea and the case schedule, including your Rule 8 speedy-trial clock, kicks in. They're easy to confuse and they do different things. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to get clear on which stage you're at.
How much jail time does a Class 4 felony carry in Arizona for a first offense?
For a first-time, non-dangerous Class 4 felony, the § 13-702 range runs 1 year mitigated, 2.5 years presumptive, up to 3.75 years aggravated — and because Arizona has no parole for offenses on or after Jan. 1, 1994, you'd serve at least 85% of whatever is imposed. A prior or a dangerousness allegation changes the penalty statute and pushes the range far higher. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand the exposure on your specific class and circumstances — information, not advice.
How do I get a public defender in Arizona?
If you can't afford a private attorney, the court can appoint the County Public Defender (or Legal Defender / Office of the Legal Advocate) after a financial-eligibility screening, usually around your initial appearance — so ask for counsel early and out loud. Legal Hotline is not a public defender and not a law firm; we explain how the process works and what your charge means. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, to get oriented before you face the court.
I'm being held without bond in Arizona — can I challenge that?
Often, yes. If you're held no-bond, Simpson v. Miller entitles you to a prompt, adversarial bail-eligibility hearing (a 'Simpson hearing') where the State must show by clear and convincing evidence that the proof is evident or the presumption great — and that right is easy to forfeit if no one demands it. This is time-sensitive. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand how Arizona's no-bond rules work and what a bail hearing involves; for the hearing itself you'll want your own Arizona attorney.
My teenager was arrested in Arizona — does this go to adult court?
Usually it starts in Juvenile Court, a division of Superior Court with jurisdiction over delinquency for those under 18 (A.R.S. § 8-202). But under the transfer rules (§ 8-327, § 13-504) and the direct-file statute (§ 13-501), some older juveniles charged with serious felonies can be prosecuted as adults — a decision that carries lifelong consequences. The first hours matter for a minor too. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, to understand how Arizona's juvenile process works before anything is decided.
Can a felony be reduced to a misdemeanor in Arizona?
Sometimes. A non-dangerous Class 6 felony can be left 'undesignated' or entered as a Class 1 misdemeanor under § 13-604 — often after successful probation — unless you already have two or more prior felony convictions. It's a distinctly Arizona off-ramp that's easy to miss if no one raises it. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to learn whether your charge could qualify; an attorney would handle the actual plea negotiation.
How do I clear or seal my criminal record in Arizona?
Arizona has two main tools. A set-aside under § 13-905 vacates the judgment of guilt and can restore firearm rights for eligible offenses (the record itself stays public). Record sealing under § 13-911 — Arizona's nearest thing to expungement, with petitions allowed only since Dec. 31, 2022 — hides the record from most background checks, with waiting periods running from 2 years (lower misdemeanors) up to 10 years (Class 2 or 3 felony) after all sentence terms are complete (a 2024 amendment, SB 1639, removed the extra waiting time that a prior felony used to add). Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand which path fits your conviction.
I acted in self-defense — does Arizona's stand-your-ground law protect me?
Arizona has statutory self-defense with no duty to retreat where you're lawfully present and not breaking the law (§§ 13-405, 13-411, and the castle-doctrine § 13-418), and once you put forward any evidence of justification, the State must disprove it beyond a reasonable doubt (§ 13-205) — more defense-favorable than many states. But it's fact-specific and still has to be litigated. Call 1-844-690-0555 free to understand how justification works in Arizona; whether to raise it in your case is a decision for your attorney.
Does the free call cover immigration consequences of an Arizona charge?
It can flag them. A criminal conviction can trigger removal or block relief under federal immigration law — that's handled by the federal system (USCIS and the immigration courts under EOIR), not the Arizona state courts, so a state plea that looks minor can still carry heavy federal immigration fallout. Our assistant can explain, as information, how the state charge and the federal consequence interact; an immigration attorney handles the actual immigration case. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7.
Is the free call the same as having a lawyer represent me?
No. The call gives you legal information — what your charge means, what it carries, your deadlines, how Arizona's process works — and it creates no attorney-client relationship. Legal Hotline is not a law firm and not a public defender. If you want representation, we can help you book a paid consultation with an Arizona-licensed criminal defense attorney as a separate step. Call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7, to start with the information.
Are you a criminal defense attorney licensed in Arizona? We connect frightened, ready-to-act people — facing initial appearances, Simpson bail hearings, felony exposure under the § 13-702 range, and § 13-911 record-relief petitions across Maricopa, Pima, and every county — with vetted local counsel. If you'd like to receive matched client consultations, join our referral network. This path is for attorneys only and is kept separate from the free client helpline above.
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
An Arizona charge moves fast — the 24-hour appearance, the release conditions, the allegations that decide which penalty statute applies. The sooner you understand exactly what you're facing, the better the decisions you'll make. Call 1-844-690-0555 now — free, 24/7, in plain English, in your language. It's legal information, not legal advice, and it creates no attorney-client relationship. One call, and you'll finally know what comes next.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.