Arizona Legal Blog

What A.R.S. §12-563 makes you prove, the two-year deadline under §12-542 (and the 180-day notice for public hospitals), and why the Arizona Constitution bans damage caps. Covers the §12-2603 expert affidavit, the §12-2604 same-specialty rule, and the Maricopa County filing process.

Orders of Protection under A.R.S. §13-3602 vs. Injunctions Against Harassment under §12-1809 — which one you qualify for, how to file through AZPOINT and Maricopa County courts, and what a violation costs under §13-2810. Covers the automatic divorce injunction at §25-315.

How delinquency cases begin under A.R.S. §8-301, when A.R.S. §13-501 forces adult charging, and what rights In re Gault guarantees your child. Covers the Maricopa County Juvenile Court process from detention hearing to disposition, plus setting aside adjudications under §8-348.

Why most tickets are civil violations under A.R.S. §28-644 and §28-701 while criminal speeding, reckless, and aggressive driving are misdemeanors. Covers the MVD point system, the 8-point suspension trigger under §28-3306, Defensive Driving School, and how Maricopa County handles each track.

How Arizona's Adult Protective Services Act (A.R.S. §46-451) defines a vulnerable adult, why A.R.S. §13-3623 makes abuse a felony, and how families can sue directly under the civil remedy at §46-455. Covers warning signs, mandatory reporting, and filing deadlines.

What the Arizona Civil Rights Act (A.R.S. §41-1463) protects, why sexual harassment claims reach even one-employee businesses, and how retaliation (§41-1464) and AEPA wrongful termination (§23-1501) claims work. Covers the 180-day ACRD deadline, EEOC cross-filing, and remedies.

How probate works in Maricopa County and when you can skip it: HB 2116 raised the small estate affidavit limits under A.R.S. §14-3971 to $200,000 personal / $300,000 real property. Covers informal vs. formal probate, the four-month creditor window (§14-3803), costs, and intestate succession under §14-2102.

How Arizona's at-fault system, the A.R.S. §28-4009 insurance minimums, and pure comparative fault under §12-2505 shape your claim. Covers the two-year deadline under §12-542, damages, and dealing with adjusters across the Phoenix metro.

How A.R.S. §13-3408 (narcotics) and §13-3407 (dangerous drugs) classify possession as a class 4 felony, and why Proposition 200 (§13-901.01) keeps most first and second offenders out of prison. Covers diversion, common defenses, and Maricopa County procedure.

When lane filtering is legal in Arizona under A.R.S. §28-903, how pure comparative fault (§12-2505) divides the money after a Phoenix crash, and the two-year filing deadline under §12-542. Covers insurance minimums, government-claim notice rules, and what to do after a wreck on the I-10 or Loop 101.

Who can make a will under A.R.S. §14-2501, when a funded living trust beats a will, and how Phoenix families keep an estate out of Maricopa County probate. Covers holographic wills (§14-2503), the Arizona Trust Code (§14-10201), beneficiary deeds, and the $75,000/$100,000 small estate thresholds.

From the moment of arrest to entering a plea: how the criminal process unfolds in Maricopa County. We cover the 24-hour initial appearance under Rule 4.1, release conditions under A.R.S. §13-3967, preliminary hearings, and your right to appointed counsel.

How federal immigration law and Arizona's own rules fit together for Phoenix metro families. We cover DACA renewals in 2026, removal defense at the Phoenix Immigration Court, employer sanctions and E-Verify under the Legal Arizona Workers Act (A.R.S. §23-212), and what to do if a relative is detained by ICE.

What a Phoenix personal injury lawyer really costs in 2026. We break down the standard one-third contingency fee, when it climbs to 40% after a lawsuit is filed, how case costs and fees come out in different orders, and how Arizona medical liens under A.R.S. §33-931 shape your final payout — all under the reasonableness rules of ER 1.5.

How Arizona's community property system shapes a Maricopa County divorce. We cover equitable division under A.R.S. §25-318, what counts as community vs. separate property under §25-211, the automatic preliminary injunction and temporary orders under §25-315, and the mandatory 60-day waiting period.

A clear guide to how Arizona protective orders work. We cover what counts as domestic violence under A.R.S. §13-3601, the one-year Order of Protection under §13-3602, and the after-hours Emergency Order of Protection under §13-3624 — plus the Maricopa County filing process and victim rights.

What a Phoenix Chapter 7 filer actually gets to keep. We cover the $400,000+ homestead exemption under A.R.S. §33-1101, the vehicle and personal property protections in §§33-1121–33-1125, and why retirement accounts are usually fully safe in a Maricopa County filing.

A clear 2026 breakdown of what a DUI lawyer costs in the Phoenix metro — flat fees vs. hourly, the separate MVD license-hearing fee, and the public-defender option. We cover typical fee ranges for first-offense, extreme, and aggravated DUI charges under A.R.S. §28-1381.

A Phoenix renter's guide to the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. We cover the landlord's habitability duty under §33-1324, the 5-day pay-or-vacate notice under §33-1368, and the 14-day security deposit return rule under §33-1321 — plus what to do about illegal lockouts.

Arizona is an at-will state, but the Arizona Employment Protection Act (A.R.S. §23-1501) carves out real exceptions. We cover contract, statutory, and whistleblower claims, the constructive discharge notice rule under §23-1502, and the deadlines Phoenix employees can't miss.

Arizona's pure comparative fault rule means partial blame reduces — but rarely ends — your injury claim. We break down §12-2505, how Maricopa County juries assign fault percentages, and the two-year deadline under §12-542.

Arizona replaced "custody" with legal decision-making and parenting time. We break down the §25-403 best-interests factors, joint vs. sole decision-making, parenting plans, and the 45-day relocation notice rule in Maricopa County.

Arizona workers' comp is no-fault — but the deadlines are unforgiving. We cover the one-year ICA filing rule, 66⅔% wage replacement, carrier denial tactics, and third-party claims under A.R.S. §23-1023.

A BAC of 0.15+ means mandatory jail; a suspended license or third offense means felony prison exposure. We break down Arizona's two harshest DUI tiers, the MVD's 15-day deadline, and the defenses that still matter.

Arizona has three tiers of DUI charges with drastically different penalties. Here's what each tier means and how the right defense attorney can challenge a DUI charge.

Arizona is one of nine community property states. We explain what that means for your home, bank accounts, retirement, and debts when a marriage ends in Maricopa County.

Arizona's landmark 2023 law allows actual sealing — not just set-aside — for many criminal offenses. We explain who qualifies, how to apply, and why it matters for background checks.

In Arizona, most personal injury claims must be filed within 2 years. We cover the exact deadlines, exceptions, and how Arizona's pure comparative fault rule affects your recovery.

The 4th largest trial court in the United States. We cover divisions, locations, filing procedures, and how to find court records for criminal, civil, family, and probate cases.

Arizona holds dog owners strictly liable for bites regardless of prior knowledge. Unlike many states, there's no "one free bite" rule. Here's what victims need to know to recover compensation.