What Happens if I was indicted in Maricopa County Superior Court?
by
Aaron Black • April 24, 2013
If you have been indicted in Maricopa County Superior Court you are now facing serious felony charges. An indictment is the formal charge(s) against you that has been handed up by the Grand Jury. A Grand Jury is a secret proceeding where a group of people decide if there is probable cause to hold your case over for trial.
Facing felony charges means you are looking at the possibility of prison, jail and probation. A felony conviction will negatively impact the remainder of your life. Put yourself in the best position possible to fight the charges in your indictment by hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Class 6 felonies can include charges such as possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, aggravated DUI, theft, and possession of marijuana.
Class 5 felony offenses include theft of a credit card, unlawful flight from law enforcement, criminal damage, theft and aggravated assault on a police officer.
Class 4 felony offenses include aggravated DUI, possession of narcotic drugs, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons, forgery, identity theft and burglary.
Class 3 felony offenses include theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, possession of marijuana for sale, theft, burglary, aggravated robbery and trafficking stolen property.
Class 2 felony offenses include possession of narcotic drugs for sale, possession of dangerous drugs for sale, manslaughter, aggravated assault, sexual assault, child prostitution, armed robbery, assisting a criminal street gang, burglary, discharging a firearm, theft and fraudulent schemes.
A class 1 felony offense is the worst crime a person can be charged with and is reserved for murder charges only.
Aaron Black is a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer and one of the leading trial attorneys in Arizona. Aaron Black is recognized as a 2012 and 2013 Super Lawyer Rising Star in Criminal Defense (Top 2.5% of lawyers under 40 in Arizona and New Mexico). He is rated 10/10 on AVVO.com, and is rated by Martindale-Hubbell as an AV Preeminent Lawyer (the highest level of professional excellence).
Facing felony charges means you are looking at the possibility of prison, jail and probation. A felony conviction will negatively impact the remainder of your life. Put yourself in the best position possible to fight the charges in your indictment by hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Penalties for a Felony Criminal Offense with no prior conviction
Class 6 felonyClass 6 felonies can include charges such as possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, aggravated DUI, theft, and possession of marijuana.
- Maximum punishment of 2 years in prison
- 3 years of supervised probation
- $150,000 fine and surcharges
Class 5 felony offenses include theft of a credit card, unlawful flight from law enforcement, criminal damage, theft and aggravated assault on a police officer.
- Maximum punishment of 2.5 years in prison
- 3 years of supervised probation
- $150,000 fine and surcharges
Class 4 felony offenses include aggravated DUI, possession of narcotic drugs, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons, forgery, identity theft and burglary.
- Maximum punishment is 3.75 years in prison
- 4 years of probation
- $150,000 plus surcharges
Class 3 felony offenses include theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, possession of marijuana for sale, theft, burglary, aggravated robbery and trafficking stolen property.
- Punishable by up to 8.75 years in prison
- 5 years of probation
- $150,000 and surcharges
Class 2 felony offenses include possession of narcotic drugs for sale, possession of dangerous drugs for sale, manslaughter, aggravated assault, sexual assault, child prostitution, armed robbery, assisting a criminal street gang, burglary, discharging a firearm, theft and fraudulent schemes.
- Punishable by up to 12.5 years in prison
- 7 years of probation
- $150,000 plus surcharges
A class 1 felony offense is the worst crime a person can be charged with and is reserved for murder charges only.
- Carries a minimum of 25 years to life with a maximum penalty of the death sentence
Aaron Black is a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer and one of the leading trial attorneys in Arizona. Aaron Black is recognized as a 2012 and 2013 Super Lawyer Rising Star in Criminal Defense (Top 2.5% of lawyers under 40 in Arizona and New Mexico). He is rated 10/10 on AVVO.com, and is rated by Martindale-Hubbell as an AV Preeminent Lawyer (the highest level of professional excellence).
About the Author
Aaron Black is the founder and sole attorney of the Law Office of Aaron Black. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, his DUI and criminal defense law firm provides legal services to people who have received felony or misdemeanor charges from the state.
Aaron has developed a strong interest in defending people who have been arrested and received criminal charges for driving under the influence. With his professionalism and knowledge of Arizona DUI and criminal law, he has acted as a check and balance on the police, prosecution and courts and has protected a great number of his clients from excessive and unfair sentencing.Along with DUI defense, Aaron handles a range of other criminal matters, including aggravated assault, burglary, domestic violence, drug possession, drug trafficking, fraud defense, insurance fraud, sex crimes and white-collar crime.
After graduating college in 2003 from the University of Arizona, Aaron decided to pursue a law degree. He followed a family long tradition and went to the University of South Dakota School of Law where he pursued his goal of becoming a criminal defense lawyer.
After passing the Arizona and South Dakota bar exams, Aaron joined the Maricopa County Office of the Public Defender where he defended hundreds of people charged with serious criminal offenses. His work as a public defender helped him sharpen his litigation skills and gave him a unique insight into the Arizona criminal justice system.
Over the course of his 15-year legal career, Aaron has spent a considerable amount of time in both Arizona justice, municipal, state and federal courts. He has argued over 50 jury trials, tried over 100 bench trials and has become one of the highest-rated criminal and DUI defense attorneys in Phoenix and the surrounding areas. He has received a 10/10 rating from the legal directory Avvo because of his legal background and successful case record. Since 2014, he has received the Super Lawyer rating for his work as a Phoenix DUI and criminal defense attorney.
You can review Aaron’s Attorney Bio page for more information about his background, education and experience as a Phoenix DUI and criminal defense attorney.
