Set-Asides in Arizona

You’ve been convicted of a crime. Happens to the best of us. But what happens when you set out to find a new job, or rent a new home? Even though your conviction is in the past, your record is still very much a part of your future. In most states, you have the ability to expunge, or wipe clean, your criminal record. Arizona doesn’t do expungement: that petty offense, misdemeanor, or felony is on your record forever. But the consequences don’t have to follow you around!

A.R.S. 13-905 is here to help! Upon the completion of your sentence, A.R.S. 13-905 allows for you to petition for the “setting aside” of your judgment of guilt. Granted, there are some exceptions, but an experienced defense attorney -like yours truly- can let you know if you fall within the A.R.S. guidelines. Rest assured, though, the vast majority of offenses are eligible to be set aside, and you’ll be one step closer to a stress-free future.

Once deemed eligible, the Court will examine a number of factors specific to your infraction, including but not limited to: the nature of the conviction, your compliance, any priors, time since your conviction, and your age at conviction. If the Court finds in your favor, your judgment will be officially set-aside.

While this doesn’t “clean your record” like a typical expungement, it goes a long way in reestablishing your name. Even though the conviction will still appear on your record, the judgment will now read as essentially dismissed. The judgment against you will be gone, as will any associated Court documents on the matter, and so will your days of worrying about it!

While we here at Palestini Law understand that you aren’t defined by the actions of your past, you’ll be hard-pressed to find many others who feel the same way. Your legal history doesn’t determine your legal future! So stop worrying about the past catching up to you and take rewriting it into your own hands today!