Monthly Archives for May 2011

Flagstaff, AZ - Drive-by shooting charges are more common than most people think in Arizona.  It's not just what you see in the movies: an angry drug dealer with four buddies drives by a quiet house in the middle of the night and shoots out the windows and doors.  In fact, "road rage" incidents lead to many drive-by shooting charges because a drive-by shooting does not need to be at a house.  It can be at a car.






Serious AZ Felony Charges Result.



Under Arizona law, a… Read More →

Flagstaff, AZ - If you need legal help, have a run-in with the police, or want a free consultation, call today! Ryan Stevens | YourFlagstaff Lawyer Read More →

Flagstaff, AZ - Field sobriety tests. Nobody wants to do them. When you pass by a person on the side of the road, walking in a straight line with their arms extended outward, while a cop shines a flashlight on them and takes notes of ever swaying movement, you always think, "Wow, glad that's not me!"

Well, what if it is you one day?  You should know the facts.






FST's are fraught with peril.



You can decline field sobriety tests under Arizona DUI laws.  Your refusal can be… Read More →

Coconino County, AZ - Do you own a dog in Coconino County, outside the city limits of Flagstaff?  Here's a fun fact you may not know.

Everyone who owns, or even keeps, a dog in Coconino County must purchase a dog license when the dog turns three months old, or within 30 days of becoming the owner or keeper, or within 30 days after moving into Coconino County.






Coconino County Has Strict Dog Laws



And then there's the new Coconino County barking ordinance.  Passed in early… Read More →

Northern Arizona - When an Arizona felony drug crime is charged, the State will look to take away things of value used for criminal behavior, like computers, cell phones, vehicles, cash, and more.  That's because the Arizona criminal code gives the State the power to seize those items, auction them off (or keep and use them) and keep the proceeds!






Arizona Civil Forfeiture Lawyer



But did you know: through civil forfeiture proceedings, police and prosecutors and take your… Read More →

Flagstaff, AZ - Search warrants are defined by Arizona law as orders in writing issued in the name of the State of Arizona, signed by a magistrate, directed to an Arizona peace officer, and commanding the peace officer to search for personal property, persons or items.

When property is stolen or embezzledSearch warrants can be issued upon the following grounds:

When property is used as a means of committing a public offense
When property is in the possesion of a person with the… Read More →

Prescott, AZ - Felony cases in Yavapai County often face the Early Disposition Court, or EDC, which is an attempt by the Yavapai County Attorney's Office to get felony defendants to give up their constitutional rights, plead guilty, and most likely go to the Arizona Department of Corrections.






Yavapai County Superior Court in Prescott For Felony Cases



No defendant should ever take an EDC plea without a lawyer's advice.  And EDC doesn't really give anybody, defendants or… Read More →

Arizona DUI (or DWI) cases are different than other criminal cases.  DUI laws are in Title 28 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which pertains to Transportation in general.  DUI offenses are not listed in the Arizona criminal code.  But they are still criminal in nature.

In Flagstaff, Prescott, Verde Valley, and across northern Arizona, the punishments can be severe.  If your very first DUI is with a 0.15% BAC, if you're convicted you'll go to jail for at least 30 consecutive… Read More →

Flagstaff, AZ - If you're looking for information held by a public office, we all have the right to do a public records request. Generally, Arizona law requires every public body to maintain all records of disciplinary actions, including the employee responses to all disciplinary actions. This includes politicians, politicians' employees, police officers, chiefs of police, sheriff's deputies, prosecutors, public defenders, school board members, and all other public officials.  Those records… Read More →

If you've been exposed to the Arizona criminal justice system, especially felony cases in northern Arizona, may have heard of "mitigation hearings" or "pre-sentencing hearings."

But if you're looking at a possible prison sentence in the Arizona Department of Corrections, you don't want to just walk into a Sentencing Hearing and hope for the best.  You need a lawyer who will prepare a mitigation case, file a Sentencing Memorandum, seek positive reference letters and testimony, challenge… Read More →