Q: Do all Arizona criminal cases need to be presented to a grand jury to proceed in court?
A:
No. Felony cases can be brought before a grand jury or there can be a probable cause hearing during the preliminary hearing phase. This can be a witness or a non-witness hearing. Misdemeanor cases need neither and can be charged simply by the prosecution filing a complaint. Also, it is important to know that if a felony case does go to a grand, there are very strict deadlines on how long a person has to examine the transcript of the hearing, find issues and file motions with the court addressing these issues.
This is among many other reasons why it is important to consult with an Arizona criminal defense attorney as early in the case as possible. It is never too early in the case (or potential case) for a free consultation. Many criminal defense attorneys (myself included) will discuss your case with you at no charge.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
