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If you have been charged with the serious crime of DUI in Pinal County in Arizona, the DUI Law Specialists at Rosenstein Law Group can help. Call us now for your free initial consultation at (480) 248-7666 to find out how the experienced defense at the attorneys Rosenstein Law Group can help when it comes to your criminal case.
There are seven locations where Pinal County courts can be found. They are:
Pioneer Justice Court Precinct 1
Pioneer Justice Court: 3675 E Hunt Hwy, San Tan Valley, AZ 85143
Serves: San Tan Valley
Casa Grande Justice Court Precinct 2
Casa Grande Justice Court: 820 E Cottonwood Lane, County Complex, Casa Grande, AZ 85122
Serves: Casa Grande
Central Pinal Justice Court Precinct 3
Central Pinal Justice Court: 119 W Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ 85128
Serves: Florence, Coolidge, and Eloy
Western Pinal Justice Court Precinct 4
Western Pinal Justice Court: 19955 N Wilson Avenue, Maricopa, AZ 85139
Serves: Maricopa and Stanfield
Copper Corridor Justice Court Precinct 5
Main Courthouse: 60 E Main Street, Superior, AZ 85173
Serves: Superior, Kearny, Mammoth, San Manuel, and Oracle
Copper Corridor Justice Court Precinct 5
Satellite Office: 1470 N Justice Drive, Oracle, AZ 85623
Serves: Superior, Kearny, Mammoth, San Manuel, and Oracle
Apache Junction Justice Court Precinct 6
Apache Junction Justice Court: 575 N Idaho Road, Roy Hudson Complex, Apache Junction, AZ 85119
Serves: Apache Junction and parts of San Tan Valley
The courts in Pinal County hear a variety of criminal cases including:
These courts also hear civil cases, small claims cases, issue orders of protection, handle evictions, and hear appeals. We will be focusing primarily on the criminal cases of the court.
Before a case is brought before the Superior Court, the case is usually filed by a County Attorney. Felony cases are generally filed after a preliminary hearing or due to the findings of a grand jury.
Citation/Arrest — When someone is arrested and released or issued a citation by law enforcement, their first appearance in Court is for arraignment. If the arrest results in a defendant being jailed, their first appearance is an initial appearance. If a defendant is released and fails to appear in Court, there will nearly always be a warrant issued for their arrest. The Court will bring them there forcefully.
Arraignment — This is the first time a defendant has to enter a plea for the charges they are facing. Defendants may enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or may enter a no-contest plea. When a defendant pleads guilty or no contest, their sentence may be announced by the judge. In the event of a not guilty plea, a court date for pre-trial is set.
Initial Appearance — At the initial appearance (IA), the judge will confirm the name and address of the defendant. The defendant will then learn about the charges against them. Any conditions for their release from custody will be announced. This is an opportunity for the defendant to have a court-appointed attorney should they be eligible for one. For felony cases, a date will be set for a preliminary hearing.
Bail/Bond Issuance — To ensure a defendant is present at all required court hearings, the Court generally requires the posting of bail. These are commonly known in Arizona as bonds. The bond would be forfeited should the defendant fail to show up at any hearing. Bonds are only returned upon the closure of a case, either because the defendant was found guilty or not guilty. It may take as long as 30 days after completing the case for the assets used for the bond to be released.
The county attorney must file charges within 48 hours of a person’s arrest. Otherwise, it may be determined they need to scratch a case. Generally, a case being scratched can mean a few things:
It is important to note that this could mean you have to keep the County Attorney informed of any address changes as a defendant. Charges may be filed for up to seven years for felony charges and up to one-year for misdemeanor charges.
Before the County Attorney may file a case in Court, there are two options they may use. These include:
Grand Jury — Most heard cases in Pinal County are presented to a grand jury. This is where the Court will decide whether there is sufficient evidence of probable cause. In this case, the prosecutor has to show the grand jury evidence that there is sufficient cause to show that a crime has been committed and the defendant committed the crime. If the grand jury feels the evidence is adequate, the defendant is indicted, and the case is then sent to the Superior Court.
Preliminary Hearing — A small percentage of cases are determined by a justice of the peace through a preliminary hearing. The justice will hear evidence from witnesses for both the prosecution and the defense. Should the judge determine enough evidence to show the defendant committed a crime, the case is transferred to Superior Court for trial. The defendant is then set to be arraigned, and a date is set. If there is insufficient evidence of probable cause, the case is dismissed.
The arraignment will occur if charges are warranted after a grand jury or preliminary hearing. Once the arraignment takes place, a date will be set for trial. If the case is a felony case, the Court may notify the defendant of a date for Early Disposition Court (EDC) and a status conference.
A status conference is generally held in felony cases. The status conference can fill several purposes, including:
Discovery — the prosecutor, will explain their evidence to the defendant’s lawyer.
Plea bargain — the prosecutor may offer the defendant a plea bargain which they should discuss with their criminal defense attorney
If a plea deal is reached during this phase of the process, then the case would be sent for sentencing. If no plea agreement is reached, the case will proceed to a preliminary hearing toward trial.
If a plea deal is reached, the case will go immediately forward to sentencing as per the agreement reached. If there is no agreement, then a trial is scheduled.
A DUI conviction can have a devastating impact on a person’s life. A defendant must work with an experienced Pinal County or Scottsdale DUI defense attorney as soon as they receive a citation or face arrest. A DUI can be considered a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the exact circumstances of your case. It is essential to have proper legal representation whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or a felony.
Still, a felony DUI will have more severe consequences. There are two felony charges for DUI, including:
Class 4 Felony — Any driver who was arrested and charged with a DUI while operating on a suspended or revoked license, having two or more prior DUIs in 7 years, or is accused of a DUI under order to use an ignition interlock device may be charged with a level four felony. If you are charged with a Class 4 Felony, you could be facing a minimum of four years in prison and over $4,000 in fines. In addition, they will lose their right to drive for one year and be forced to have an ignition lock device for not less than two years when their license is reinstated. You must complete a substance abuse treatment plan before reinstatement in some cases.
Class 6 Felony — If you are arrested for DUI with a child under 15 in the vehicle, you may be charged with a level 6 felony. In these cases, with competent legal representation, it is possible to negotiate the charges down to a misdemeanor charge.
Often DUI defendants believe they can win their case without the help of an attorney. This would be a severe mistake. A DUI defense attorney may be able to help you initially avoid pleading guilty to a DUI by questioning various things, including: the reason you were stopped, the integrity of a sobriety test, or the accuracy of a BAC.
Rosenstein Law Group has the experience you need when facing a DUI charge. We serve defendants across the Greater Phoenix metro area, including Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Glendale, Surprise, Peoria, Tucson, Flagstaff, and across Arizona. Contact us today at (480) 248-7666 for a free, no-risk consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.