17 Feb What is a Misdemeanor in Arizona?
The word misdemeanor, if taken down to it’s roots of “mis” and “demeanor”, essentially translates to “wrong conduct or behavior”. So even by just looking at the origin of the word it is evident that while a misdemeanor isn’t tolerated behavior, it is clearly not as serious as a felony criminal act. Although misdemeanors in Arizona aren’t as severe as felonies, it is still possible to serve jail time if convicted. There are three classes of misdemeanor and a class 1 misdemeanor can result in up to 6 months in jail, so you may want to consider having a Certified Criminal Law Specialist like Todd Coolidge on your side. Below are the 3 classes of misdemeanor in Arizona
Class 1
As we stated above, class 1 is the most severe classification when it comes to misdemeanors. These can result in up to 6 months imprisonment, but if you have previous convictions, even a class 2 misdemeanor can get you up to 6 months in jail. An example of a class 1 misdemeanor is Prostitution.
Class 2
Class 2 misdemeanors have a max punishment of 4 months in jail and fines up to $750. Just like we stated in the class 1 category, with prior convictions, class 3 misdemeanors can result in the same penalties of a class 2 conviction. An example of a class 2 misdemeanor is Intentionally exposing another person to an infectious disease.
Class 3
The least severe of the bunch, class 3 misdemeanors can result in up to 30 days in jail and up to $500 in fines. An example of a class 3 misdemeanor is Minor in possession of Alcohol.
Whether you are facing misdemeanor or felony charges, contact Todd Coolidge immediately to help you fight them today. The sooner a qualified attorney is working with you, the better the chance you have at dismissing or reducing any penalties you face.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (2/13/2016) Beth Cortez-Neavel (Flickr)
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