Recent Posts in Arizona Laws Category

Arizona lawmakers are considering new legislation that would make it legal for any U.S. citizen 21 years of age or older to carry a concealed weapon without needing a permit.

If the bill is passed, Arizona would be the third state in the U.S. to allow adults to carry a weapon without a permit, the other two states being Alaska and Vermont.

Under current Arizona laws, carrying a concealed weapon is a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to six months in jail and up to $25,000 in fines. If you were arrested in Phoenix or the surrounding areas for carrying a concealed weapon, it’s important to contact an attorney right away. The prosecutors won’t care if the weapon in your possession is legal or illegal, if you do not have a permit you will face criminal charges.

At the Knowles Law Firm, we have extensive experience in Arizona criminal law, and can provide you with the aggressive defense you need against your weapons charges. Although carrying a concealed weapon is just a misdemeanor offense, you could still be sent to jail and a conviction will still appear on your criminal record. As when facing any charges, it’s best to leave your case in the hands of trained criminal lawyer.

Please feel free to contact the Knowles Law Firm today if you are searching for an experienced and dedicated Phoenix criminal defense attorney to help you fight your charges!

Arizona may soon adopt a new law that would prohibit drivers from reading, writing, or sending emails or text messages while driving on a state highway. It does not, however, prohibit talking on the phone while driving, and drivers are permitted to type in a name or number to make a call.

The bill was recently approved by committee members and now moves to the full senate for review.

Any driver found in violation would be subject to a $50 fine, unless they caused an accident, in which case the fine would be $200.

A similar measure almost passed last year, but was just one vote shy in the Senate.

This year, the bill is being sponsored by Republican Senator Al Melvin, who says he is convinced the law will help save lives. According to AAA, people who text while driving are 23 times more likely to get in an accident or narrowly avoid an accident than those who do not text and drive. 

Linda Gorman, a spokeswoman for AAA, said the company plans to lobby the congress in Arizona in an effort to secure a nationwide ban on texting while driving by 2013.

So far 19 states and Washington D.C. have adopted similar laws. In Arizona, texting while driving is only illegal in Phoenix. If the bill passes, texting while driving will be banned in all areas of the state.

If you were cited for driving while texting in Phoenix, you should know there are ways you can fight your ticket to avoid paying a fine and getting points assessed to your driving record. A  Phoenix criminal defense lawyer at the Knowles Law Firm can provide you with experienced representation and help you contest your ticket.

To speak with an attorney at the firm, please  contact the office by calling (888) 332-5621 or (602) 702-5431!

Teens in Arizona may soon face criminal charges for “sexting,” a term used to describe sharing explicit photos, videos, or chats through a text message or online.

On Wednesday, a state Senate panel endorsed a bill that would result in misdemeanor charges for any minor found sending nude or explicit pictures of themselves to others, or for having or keeping such pictures on their cell phones. The law also makes it a misdemeanor offense to pass around explicit photos to anyone other than the intended recipient.

The vote in the Public Safety and Human Services Committee was unanimous, and the bill now moves to the full Senate.

The bill also gives prosecutors the option of holding teenagers accountable for their actions without charging them with child pornography—a much more serious offense. If a teen were to be convicted of child pornography, they could be ordered to register as a sex offender, possibly for life.

The bill focuses solely on underage “sexters.” An adult with explicit photos or materials of a minor still faces felony child pornography charges.

If your son or daughter has been arrested for sexting, a Phoenix criminal defense attorney who not only has experience defending clients against sex crimes, but who also has practice in juvenile defense, can provide your child with the skilled representation and dedicated legal counsel he or she needs during this unsettling time. To learn more, contact the Knowles Law Firm, P.C. today.

Sen. Russell Pearce (R-Mesa) is proposing new legislation designed to help fight the drug smuggling problem in Arizona.

If Senate Bill 1026 becomes law, the Department of Public Safety would need to seek grant funding to install high-tech underground seismic sensors at rural airfields.  These sensors would then be used to monitor areas being used for drug and human smuggling around the Mexican border.

Pearce feels that if the federal government will not build a fence to stop the problem, then the state of Arizona needs to take action.  He also claims the bill would not cost the state anything, as federal stimulus money is available.  If federal money was not available, or if the state could not obtain federal money, the program wouldn’t launch.

Critics of the legislation feel it could overburden the DPS, which is already stretched thin with budget cuts and hiring freezes.  Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor (D-Phoenix), for example, is concerned that the DPS does not have enough resources to comply with the law. 

DPS officials are also concerned.  Lt. Lynn Ideus said the time it would take just to identify the state’s remote landing strips and write grant proposals would be a huge undertaking for the department.

However, supporters of the legsilstion say that if the DPS doesn’t have the man power or resources to get these sensors set up, they could ask for help from county sheriffs and volunteers.

The bill was passed by the Senate Public Safety on Human Services Committee with a 6-0 vote.  It now goes on to the Senate Rules Committee.

If you are interested in learning more about these or any other drug crime laws in Arizona, an experienced Phoenix criminal defense lawyer at the Knowles Law Firm, PLC would be more than happy to answer your questions.

Contact the Knowles Law Firm, PLC today!