Felony Attorney in Arizona, AZ
Felonies are the most serious type of crime in the United States, including in Arizona. If you’re facing felony charges, you need to work with an Arizona felony lawyer who can provide aggressive representation and sound legal counsel throughout your trial.
For a free legal consultation with a felony lawyer serving Arizona, call 480-400-5555
Trust Grand Canyon Law Group
If you’re looking for a legal team that knows felony laws inside and out, you’ll find it at Grand Canyon Law Group. We’ve represented clients facing everything from aggravated assault to robbery. No matter the charges levied against you, we can provide the legal guidance and representation you need to improve your chances of maintaining your freedom.
Arizona Felony Lawyer Near Me 480-400-5555
Why Hire a Felony Lawyer?
In 2025, there were 25,273 cases of violent crimes in Arizona, many of which were considered felony murder, aggravated assault, robbery, or sexual assault. Law enforcement officials had a clearance rate of 43.72%. Overall, the state saw 203,672 criminal charges, but not all of them were for felonies.
If you’re one of the thousands of people facing felony charges for violent or non-violent crimes in Arizona, you need to hire a felony lawyer right away. Your lawyer can evaluate the evidence against you and for your defense, using their knowledge of felony laws to come up with an effective defense strategy. They can provide you with vigorous courtroom representation and, if you should decide to take a plea deal, negotiate with the prosecution on your behalf.
Having a lawyer on your side is the most effective way to improve your chances of a successful outcome in your felony case.
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Examples of Felony Crimes
Felony offenses are usually violent crimes that carry substantial prison time. Sentences are typically served in state or federal prisons rather than county jails, and some egregious felonies can be punished with the death penalty. Common examples of felony charges include:
- Murder
- Aggravated assault
- Grand theft
- Certain firearms offenses
- Child pornography
- White collar crimes
- Rape and sexual assault
- Some drug crimes
Unlike misdemeanors, these more serious crimes typically carry harsher punishments, especially for those with a history of felony charges. A.R.S. 13-703 mandates significantly longer prison sentences for people with two or more prior felony convictions, similar to the “three strikes” laws seen in other states.
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Classes of Felonies
Not all felonies are created equally. In the Grand Canyon State, they’re separated into six distinct classes. Each class carries different felony penalties, including at least 1 year in prison and substantial fines. The lower the number, the harsher the penalty. Here’s what to expect in terms of sentencing according to felony class:
- Class 1. You’ll spend 25 years to life in prison if convicted of a Class 1 felony. These felonies are restricted to first and second-degree murder.
- Class 2. You’ll spend three to 12.5 years in prison, depending on mitigating and aggravating factors. Examples of Class 2 felonies include manslaughter, sexual assault, armed robbery, and possession of dangerous drugs for sale.
- Class 3. You’ll spend two to 8.75 years in prison for committing a Class 3 felony. This class of felony includes certain types of sexual abuse, the illegal discharging of firearms at non-residential buildings, and aggravated assault or robbery.
- Class 4. You’ll spend between one and 3.75 years in prison for a Class 4 felony. Examples include aggravated DUIs, perjury, bribery, and kidnapping.
- Class 5. Punishments for Class 5 felonies range from six months to 2.5 years. Class 5 felonies include theft or criminal damage of $2,000 to $3,000, assault on a police officer, and animal cruelty.
- Class 6. You’ll spend between four months and two years in prison for a Class 6 felony. Examples include petty theft, vandalism, and endangerment.
Class 6 felonies can often be converted to misdemeanors, reducing sentencing and allowing people convicted to avoid having a felony record. In addition to prison time, people facing felony convictions often serve probation, complete community service, and pay restitution to victims of the crime.
Defenses Against Felony Charges
The proper defense strategy will vary depending on the nature of the crime you’re being charged with committing. There are some defense strategies that come up more often than others, though, and you might want to know about them so you can discuss these options with your attorney. They include:
- Actual innocence. You may maintain that you are innocent of committing the crime and develop a strategy that proves it to the jury or judge. Having an alibi is a good way to show that you could not have committed the felony with which you are being charged.
- Self-defense. Felonies are often violent crimes. As such, a defense of self-defense can be useful. If you committed an act of violence out of a need to protect yourself or others, and the level of force you used was appropriate to the reasonable fear of imminent harm you experienced, you could be acquitted.
- Entrapment. When law enforcement induces someone to commit a crime either via enticement or coercion, that’s considered entrapment. It’s illegal, and it can be used to disprove your felony charges.
- Rights violations. If law enforcement officers violated your constitutional rights through illegal search or seizure or failing to read you your Miranda rights, any evidence or confessions that occurred as a result could be suppressed in court, leaving the prosecution without the evidence it needs to convict.
- Lesser included offense. If you’re facing serious felony charges and don’t have an effective alibi, you may want to consider going for a lesser included offense. Examples of this strategy include admitting to theft rather than robbery, which involves theft but also involves an element of force or threat. If convicted of the lesser crime, you’ll face a shorter sentence. In some cases, your charges may even be reduced to a misdemeanor.
- Insanity. There’s a common misconception that insanity defenses are commonplace due to their depiction in modern media. In reality, this defense is used sparingly as it is difficult to prove. It asserts that you were not capable of understanding right and wrong at the time you committed a crime. If successful, an insanity defense will lead to institutionalization rather than incarceration.
How Your Lawyer Can Help
Your lawyer will be there to help with your case every step of the way. Depending on the specifics of your case, they might need to help you prepare to testify through mock interviews, bring you to important crime scenes in an effort to stimulate memories, or request that you write down the events as they occurred from your point of view.
Lawyers can interview eyewitnesses, make arrangements with expert witnesses, and keep you apprised of everything that’s going on in the prosecution’s case. Your lawyer’s advice and guidance can be invaluable, especially when it comes to deciding whether you should continue to a courtroom trial or take a plea deal. If you decide to take a deal, your lawyer can negotiate amenable terms with the prosecution that could leave you with a lighter sentence.
FAQs
What Is the New Law for Felons in Arizona?
The new law for felons in Arizona allows them to obtain what’s known as a Certificate of Second Chance. As of 2021, this document has been helping people with prior criminal records overcome barriers to housing, employment, and occupational licensing. The Certificate of Second Chance certifies rehabilitation, protects employers from liability for negligent hiring, and prevents license boards from automatically denying licenses based on certain felony convictions.
What Felony Gives the Least Amount of Jail Time?
A Class 6 felony gives the least amount of jail time in Arizona. Class 6 felonies carry a first-offense prison term of one year, which can be mitigated to four months or probation. These crimes can include drug paraphernalia possession or theft of under $1,000. Class 6 felonies can sometimes be designated as misdemeanors, as well.
Do You Go Straight to Prison for a Felony?
You do not automatically go straight to prison upon being charged with a felony. Factors such as whether you’re a first-time or repeat offender, what kind of crime you committed, and the terms of your plea bargain can result in results like fines, probation, or community service instead of immediate incarceration.
What Are the Major Felonies?
The major felonies are serious crimes that carry significant prison terms. They are murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, and grand larceny auto. All of these offenses involve either violence, high-value theft, or both, and they’re taken very seriously by the state of Arizona. If you have been charged with any felony, you should seek the help of an Arizona felony attorney right away.
Your Arizona Felony Lawyer
If you are looking for an Arizona felony lawyer who can improve your chances of a successful outcome in your case, look no further than Grand Canyon Law Group. Our skilled legal team has been in practice for years, and in that time, we have seen it all. No matter what kind of felony case you are facing, we can help you understand the charges against you and develop an effective defense. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation today.
Call or text 480-400-5555 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
