You should be aware that allowing your vehicle or license registration to expire may provide police officers with a reasonable suspicion to stop you while driving in Arizona. Under A.R.S. section 28-2153, you cannot operate a motor vehicle that has not been registered with the department. In the unpublished opinion…
Arizona DUI & Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
As Drunk Driving Arrests Decline in Arizona, Deaths Increase
Arizona Among Highest Increases in Fatal Alcohol-Related Accidents The good news would be that the East Valley Tribune reported on January 8 that driving under the influence (DUI) arrests in Arizona decreased 14 percent from 2014 to 2016. The bad news, however, is that CBS News reported on December 26,…
Arizona Court of Appeals Provides Affirmative Defense for Medical Marijuana Patients Charged with DUI
How High is Too High to Drive? In November 2016, Arizona voters rejected a measure to legalize recreational marijuana, with many people citing concerns about a possible increase in driving under the influence (DUI) violations as being the reason behind their opposition. Appellate courts in Arizona, however, have made a…
Heroin, Fentanyl Overdoses Rise as Part of Opioid Epidemic
Article Updated July 28, 2017 “Public Health Crisis of Historic Proportions” …
Marijuana DUI: Impacts of Arizona’s Rejection of Recreational Marijuana on Drugged Driving Charges
Proposition 205 Results for Legalization of Marijuana In the November 2016 election, five states including Arizona, had legalization of recreational marijuana on the ballot for voters. Of those, it passed in four states. But Arizona was not one of them. Proposition 205 gave Arizona voters the opportunity to legalize recreational…
Arizona Could Legalize Recreational Marijuana on November 8
Arizona’s Proposition 205 -Legalization of Marijuana If Prop 205 passes, marijuana does not become instantly legal statewide. Sales of cannabis could begin as soon as March 1, 2018. The proposition establishes the creation of a Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control that would be responsible for licensing and regulating retail…
The Entrapment Defense in Arizona
Understanding Arizona Affirmative Defenses One of the best ways to understand the entrapment defense in Arizona is to read the standard jury instructions. Arizona Pattern Jury Instructions for criminal cases tracks the language of A.R.S. § 13-206 and provides: The defendant has raised the affirmative defense of entrapment with respect…
Arizona Supreme Court Rules Marijuana Odor Establishes Probable Cause
Arizona Cannabis Laws, Penalties, Criminal Defense Police officers have long used the alleged scent of marijuana as an excuse to perform searches of alleged offenders’ motor vehicles when they refuse to consent to such searches. After the two divisions of the Arizona Court of Appeals came to different conclusions about…
Supreme Court Rules Firearm Possession Prohibited After Domestic Violence Conviction
Arizona Domestic Violence Laws, Penalties, Criminal Defense The Lautenberg Amendment in Title 18 U.S. Code § 922(g)(9) prohibits shipment, transport, ownership and use of guns or ammunition by individuals who were convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense or are under a protection order (commonly referred to as a restraining…
What You Should Know about Arizona DUI Laws
Overview of Arizona DUI Trends, Laws, Penalties, and Criminal Defense If you live in Arizona or plan to drive in the state over the July 4th weekend it is important to be aware of the DUI laws and consequences of a conviction. According to media reports, state and local law…