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If you have received a DUI in Arizona, you will likely find yourself in front of a judge at one of the local Justice Courts. The Justice Court that will be assigned your case must have jurisdiction over you. This means that the alleged acts or crime must have occurred within a certain distance from the court for you to be prosecuted there. For example, the North Valley Justice Court has jurisdiction over the boundaries that make up two (2) separate areas. The two (2) distinct areas are (1) Beardsley Road to the north and Olive Avenue to the south and (2) 34th Lane to the east and 67th Drive to the west. Another easy way to know whether you are subject to the jurisdiction of the North Valley Justice Court is if you have been arrested by either the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office or the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS).
If you have been charged with a DUI, call Rosenstein Law Group because we can determine whether you have been sent to the right court and possibly have your case dismissed on a technicality. Call our phone at 480-248-7666 and an experienced DUI attorney will be able to advise you on what proper steps you need to take next.
The North Valley Justice Court can be found at 14264 West Tierra Buena Lane in Surprise, Arizona, it is commonly known as the northwest regional court center. It is important to know the exact location of the North Valley Justice Court because the northwest regional court center is made up of four (4) to five (5) courtrooms that are different from the North Valley Justice Center. You do not want to be late for any court proceeding, so walking into the wrong courtroom will only delay your arrival.
The North Valley Justice Center operates from 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday and if you have any questions on parking, the facility, or anything related to the court itself, the court’s number is 602-372-2000. You want to make a good first impression, so make sure that you dress professionally. The presiding judge over criminal cases that you will likely encounter is Judge Gerald Williams.
The North Valley Justice Court handles both civil and criminal matters. The main cases that are seen in this court are traffic-related offenses predominantly. Traffic-related offenses include:
If you have been charged with a DUI and your case is sent to the North Valley Justice Court, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will be prosecuting your case. In every criminal case, the prosecution, also known as the state, will bring the charges of DUI against you in court. That is why it is extremely important to have an experienced criminal defense attorney who understands DUI cases that are brought in the North Valley Justice Court. These prosecutors typically do not have a lot of discretion, so the prosecution will normally look at the facts of your case and apply them to a chart. This means that without a criminal defense team, you cannot simply just negotiate your case with them. The prosecution is simply following policy.
Understanding how your case will flow through the North Valley Justice Court is important because each stage is very different, and an experienced DUI attorney can help leverage the different stages for your case. The five (5) key proceedings that the North Valley Justice Court follows are (1) arraignment, (2) pre-trial conference, (3) case management conference, (4) trial readiness conference, and (5) trial.
Most people think about the trial when they think about court and how their case may be handled. It is important to note that most DUI cases never go to trial. Generally, every defendant in a criminal case is entitled to a jury trial, however, the facts of your case may not entitle you to a jury trial, so it is important to have an experienced criminal defense attorney who can help advise you.
After a defendant’s first appearance, the arraignment is typically the next court date that a defendant will attend. Technically, this is the first date scheduled date by the court in criminal cases.
There are multiple pieces of information the North Valley Justice Court will want to know from you about your case and the judge will ensure you are aware of key information, so your rights are not violated. First, the Court will ask how you plan to plead your case. You can plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest. Next, the court will input the date of your trial and ask whether you have either (1) retained an attorney or (2) plan on retaining an attorney. The judge also wants to ensure that the defendant is aware of his or her rights.
If you have retained an experienced North Valley Justice Court or Tempe DUI lawyer at this point, you are not mandated to attend this meeting and we can go on your behalf. This conference simply involves the state or prosecution making their first plea offer, so if your attorney has acquired certain evidence at this point, he or she can advocate on your behalf based on the evidence collected.
After the pre-trial conference, you guessed it, the case management conference follows shortly after. This is the Courts opportunity to ask questions to both the prosecution and defense to find out how the case is moving along. Typically, the judge will ask whether interviews have been conducted, blood results have been disclosed, and other information like the status of discovery.
As stated above, most cases never make it to trial, however, the trial readiness conference is the final stop before the parties go to trial. The North Valley Justice Court will determine whether an agreement has been made between the prosecution and defense on what the defendant will plead. At this point in the proceedings, most cases are resolved here. You may or may not be required to attend this conference depending on the facts of your case.
This is the final stage of the North Valley Justice Court’s proceedings. If your case goes to trial, it is very important at this time to have an experienced DUI attorney who can fight your case on the biggest stage. You may or may not have a jury that your lawyer will present to, but if there is a jury, the quality of the lawyer you have on your side could be the difference between winning the case or losing it. Your defense attorney will have the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses and present your case in the best light possible.
This entire process can take anywhere from three (3) to four (4) months generally. If your case is more complex, this process could take even longer. Rosenstein Law Group has defended hundreds of DUI cases in the North Valley Justice Court, so it is crucial that you contact us if you are faced with this situation. For any questions or concerns regarding your case, please call 480-248-7666.