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Your Florence Criminal Defense Attorney
A charge in Arizona comes with a real, tiered deadline attached, except for the state’s most serious offenses: homicide and certain serious violent felonies can be prosecuted with no time limit at all. Arizona’s Superior Courts, one in each county, are where the more serious of these cases are actually filed, a detail covered further down this page.
What Happens After an Arizona Arrest
An Arizona criminal case can move quickly once charges are filed, with real deadlines governing everything from the initial court appearance to how release conditions are set.
When Arizona Can and Can't File Charges
Arizona’s general rule, A.R.S. Section 13-107(B), gives the state seven years to charge most felonies, one year for misdemeanors, and six months for petty offenses. The exceptions built into A.R.S. Section 13-107 exist specifically for cases where identifying or locating a suspect takes real time, not as a general grace period.
Miranda Rights and Where They Actually Came From
Arizona isn’t just subject to Miranda rights, it’s the origin of them: the 1966 U.S. Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona, arising from a 1963 Phoenix arrest, is why police everywhere now have to advise a suspect of the right to remain silent and to an attorney. An attorney reviewing an Arizona case will often look closely at exactly when and how these warnings were given, since the timing and wording can matter as much as whether they were given at all.
What Happens In the First 24 Hours
Arizona doesn’t leave the timeline to the arresting agency’s discretion: Ariz. R. Crim. P. 4.1(a) sets a real 24-hour outer boundary before a magistrate has to be involved. Ariz. R. Crim. P. 7 governs the conditions attached to release, and violating them carries real consequences: a new arrest warrant, a separate failure-to-appear charge, and losing any bail already posted.
Arizona's Three DUI Tiers
Arizona doesn’t treat every DUI the same: A.R.S. Section 28-1381 covers standard DUI, Section 28-1382 covers extreme DUI at 0.15 BAC or above, and Section 28-1383 elevates certain DUIs, including a third within 84 months, to a felony. Aggravated DUI under A.R.S. Section 28-1383 is prosecuted as a felony in Superior Court, a meaningfully different track than the misdemeanor process that handles most standard DUI cases.
Florence and Arizona's State Prison System
Florence, the seat of Pinal County, hosts several state and private correctional facilities, including a remaining unit of the Arizona State Prison Complex – Florence and the privately-run Florence-West and Central Arizona Correctional facilities, alongside the Pinal County Detention Center, which houses an average of roughly 600 people awaiting trial or sentencing on county-level charges. The Superior Court of Arizona in Pinal County handles felony cases connected to Florence, under the same statewide rules that apply throughout Arizona.
Speak With a Florence Criminal Defense Attorney
Given the deadlines and initial-appearance rules involved, connecting with an attorney early in Florence gives more time to build a real defense before key decisions get made. Complete the form here to speak with a criminal defense attorney about what your case may involve.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do the filing deadlines change based on what I’m charged with?
Yes, significantly: A.R.S. Section 13-107 ties the deadline directly to offense severity, from six months up to seven years, or no deadline at all for the most serious offenses. For certain serious offenses, the clock can also pause while the offender’s identity is unknown, relevant in DNA and cold-case matters, under A.R.S. Section 13-107(E).
Will I automatically be released on bail in Arizona?
No, it’s not automatic; release and bail conditions under Ariz. R. Crim. P. 7 depend on the offense’s severity, criminal history, danger to the community, and flight risk. None of this changes the state’s separate deadline for actually filing the charge in the first place.
Are all Arizona DUI charges treated the same?
No: Arizona separates standard DUI (A.R.S. Section 28-1381), extreme DUI at 0.15 BAC or higher (Section 28-1382), and aggravated DUI, a felony (Section 28-1383), each with different penalties. A mandatory ignition interlock device requirement applies alongside the jail term for an extreme DUI conviction.
Where would my Florence criminal case be filed?
Felony cases connected to Florence are generally filed in the Superior Court of Arizona in Pinal County, which has exclusive original jurisdiction over felonies.
How To Start Building Your Florence Defense
Given the deadlines and initial-appearance rules involved, connecting with an attorney early in Florence gives more time to build a real defense before key decisions get made. Fill out the form on this page to get connected with a criminal defense attorney who can review the details of your situation.
