Many, if not the majority, of criminal cases are not resolved at trial but instead result in a plea bargain. A plea bargain is an agreement between the defendant and the prosecutor. The defendant agrees to plead guilty of no contest and, in exchange for this, the prosecution will drop charges,...
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In a criminal case, a defendant will be given an option between a bench trial or a jury trial. A bench trial is a trial by a judge. The judge listens to the case in its entirety and renders a verdict. In other words, the judge plays two roles in the...
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When you face a criminal charge, hope may feel in short supply. You may not be able to help having your mind linger towards the possibility of jail time, significant fines, judgment both in and out of the courtroom, and the thought of conviction following you around indefinitely. While this is...
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While you may have seen someone submit to a field sobriety test in a movie or television show, the reality can be quite different. The important thing to be mindful of is if you ever find yourself in the position of being pulled over on suspicion of DUI and subjected to...
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Many people are unsure of how to react when pulled over by the police on suspicion of DUI. Some react angrily, which is a mistake, while others attempt to talk their way out of the situation. As you'll see below, this is also a big mistake. During a traffic stop, everything you...
Continue reading…You may have seen it in movies where the police listen in on the conversation between two people for the purpose of finding out more information. Usually, they obtain permission from one party to do so. This is called wiretapping.
When you are given a date and time to be in court, there is a reason for it. In Arizona, as in many other states, the courts are so bogged down with cases that postponing even one hearing or trial can have a negative domino effect on others. In order to...
Continue reading…We often hear that violence is never the answer. But what happens when you are placed in a dangerous situation and you must protect yourself? In Arizona, people are allowed to threaten to use or actually use physical force when they are faced with unlawful physical force or when they are attempting...
Continue reading…Animal lovers all over the country are waiting with bated breath for President Trump to sign the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act. The bill, which would make awful acts of animal cruelty a federal felony, was passed recently passed by Congress. Both the House via voice vote, and more recently...
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