Just because you have been convicted of a crime does not mean that you have lost your case entirely. There is a Post Conviction Issues/Appeals process that seeks to overturn your conviction or modify the terms of a sentence. If you have lost civil rights due to a conviction, such as the right to vote, these right can sometimes be restored. An experienced criminal defense attorney can appeal your case in order to seek a more favorable outcome.
Post Conviction Relief Arizona: Filing PCR Petitions:
If a Defendant feels that he had ineffective assistance of counsel (this usually occurs with public defender cases); newly discovered evidence has been found which supports his innocence; or there has been a substantive change in the law, then he can file a “Post Conviction Relief Petition” (PCR).
Read more on Post Conviction Relief in Arizona.
Appeals:
A Defendant has 14 days from the date of their sentencing to file a “Notice of Appeal”. Also filed along with that is a “Designation of Record”. This will designate all of the documents and court reporter transcripts which will be necessary for the appeal. The higher court then issues a “Briefing Schedule” which gives time limits on when the “Appellant’s Brief” is to be filed.
Habeas Corpus:
“Habeas Corpus” is a Latin term for “that you have the body”. A Writ of Habeas Corpus is a motion which is filed most frequently to ensure that a Defendant’s imprisonment or detention is not illegal. It is sometimes used to test the legalities of an arrest or a commitment.
Sentence Modifications:
A “Motion to Modify Sentence” or “Motion to Modify Probation” can be filed at any time after the original Sentencing has occurred. Sometimes this can be as simple as asking for monthly probation fee or restitution fee to be reduced due to the financial hardship on a Defendant. Other times, it can include the deferral or deletion of jail time which was scheduled to begin at a future date.
Read more on Sentence Modifications.
Petition for Early Termination of Probation:
It is possible to terminate the probation in many cases when the Defendant has served approximately 50% of his probation term. In some cases, this can be done at a much earlier date. In fact, we have had numerous cases where a person has been placed on “lifetime probation” and we have had them terminated at a much earlier date (in one case, after a mere year and a half (1.5 years) from the date of sentencing).
Read more on Petition for Early Termination of Probation.
Expungement / Restoration of Civil Rights:
In Arizona, there is no such thing as a “Expungement”. However, Arizona does provide for what is known as a “Judgment of Guilt Set Aside” and a “Restoration of Civil Rights”. In essence, if the Judge grants the Motion to Set Aside Judgment of Guilt, then a Defendant can tell people that he has not previously been convicted of a crime.
Read more on Expungement / Restoration of Civil Rights.
Arizona Rule 32:
Under rule 32 of the Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, an individual may appeal a conviction for one of three reasons: ineffective assistance of counsel, newly discovered evidence, or substantive change of law. Ineffective assistance of counsel refers to situations in which a defendant’s lawyer provided unprofessional or substandard representation that materially affected the outcome of the court proceedings. It is not enough to prove that a defendant received poor representation; you must also prove that the outcome of the case would have been better had you received more effective counsel.
If there is an avenue for an Appeal of your case or a way to modify the terms of a conviction, the Cantor Criminal Defense Attorneys will find it and utilize it to your benefit.
The Cantor Arizona Defense Lawyers Team – BEYOND AGGRESSIVE!!!
It is important to hire an AV® rated law firm (the highest possible rating by Martindale Hubbell®). Also David Michael Cantor is an Arizona Defense Lawyer and a Certified Criminal Law Specialist, per the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization. In addition, the Firm and all of it’s lawyers are listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers®. For a free initial consultation, call us at 602.307.0808, or click here to contact us now.
The Criminal Defense Attorneys on the Cantor Team offer BEYOND AGGRESSIVE legal defense for Appeals and Post Conviction Relief issues in all courts in the Phoenix metro area, including Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Glendale, Goodyear, Chandler, Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Buckeye, Avondale, Paradise Valley, Peoria, Surprise, Sun City, El Mirage and in all city, state and federal court jurisdictions throughout the State of Arizona.
Contact DM Cantor and speak to an Arizona Defense Lawyer about your case. We will assist you with your Post Conviction Issues.