Dismissed to the Grand Jury. What does this mean?
by
Aaron Black • April 24, 2013
If you had a case in the Maricopa County Superior Court - RCC and you declined to accept your plea offer, then your case was most likely Dismissed to the Grand Jury. Don't get excited. Your case was not dismissed.
What this means is that your case went to the Grand Jury. A Grand Jury is a secret hearing where a group of people decide if there is probable cause to hold your case over for trial. If the Grand Jury decides there is enough evidence they hand up an Indictment. An Indictment lists the formal charge(s) against you.
If you have been Indicted you are now facing serious felony charges in the Maricopa County Superior Court. Felony convictions carry penalties of fines, prison, jail and probation.
Felony offenses are the most serious criminal charges in Arizona. They are more serious than misdemeanors and carry much harsher punishments. The punishments for felony criminal offenses for a person with no prior felony convictions include:
What this means is that your case went to the Grand Jury. A Grand Jury is a secret hearing where a group of people decide if there is probable cause to hold your case over for trial. If the Grand Jury decides there is enough evidence they hand up an Indictment. An Indictment lists the formal charge(s) against you.
If you have been Indicted you are now facing serious felony charges in the Maricopa County Superior Court. Felony convictions carry penalties of fines, prison, jail and probation.
Felony offenses are the most serious criminal charges in Arizona. They are more serious than misdemeanors and carry much harsher punishments. The punishments for felony criminal offenses for a person with no prior felony convictions include:
- Class 6 felony- Class 6 felony carries a maximum punishment of 2 years in prison, 3 years of supervised probation and a $150,000 fine and surcharges. Class 6 felonies can include charges such as possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, aggravated DUI, theft and possession of marijuana.
- Class 5 felony- A class 5 felony offense carries a maximum punishment of 2.5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised probation and a $150,000 fine and surcharges. Some examples of 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- A class 4 felony is punishable by a maximum punishment is 3.75 years in prison, 4 years of probation and a fine of $150,000 plus surcharges. 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 - A class 3 felony offense is punishable by up to 8.75 years in prison, 5 years of probation and a $150,000 and surcharges. Examples of 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 - A class 2 felony offense is punishable by up to 12.5 years in prison, 7 years of probation and a fine of $150,000 plus 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.
- Class 1 felony- A class 1 felony offense is the most serious crime a person can be charged with and is reserved for murder charges only. A class 1 felony carries a minimum of 25 years to life and has a maximum penalty of the death penalty.
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.
