Phoenix, AZ asked in Criminal Law for Arizona

Q: How long is normal to wait for information regarding your case from an attorney hired for prefile representation in AZ?

It has been 17 days since I hired an attorney to represent my adult son who is on the Autism Spectrum; in a pre file case regarding false allegations of sexual misconduct toward a child that were filed against him in a police report. We have provided documentation regarding my son's medical diagnoses & medical treatments to the attorney to assist in his defense & the only information we've gotten from the attorney since then is that they're busy with other cases & have been moving offices & will get back to us shortly, yet they never do & we're anxious about so much time passing with no information or communication regarding the case from their office.

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1 Lawyer Answer
Mike Branum
Mike Branum
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Saint George, UT
  • Licensed in Arizona

A: A lot depends on the status of the case and whether there are any deadlines. Many, if not most, attorneys have a large number of active cases and must prioritize. If charges have not been filed yet, the attorney cannot even request discovery from the prosecutor. Until your attorney knows what evidence the prosecutor has, it is difficult to perform an adequate assessment.

I would recommend asking your attorney when you should expect to hear something. I know the wait is agonizing. Sometimes the wheels of the Justice system turn very, very slowly.

K. Bryan Goodman agrees with this answer

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