Blackmail and Extortion Laws in Arizona

Blackmail is called theft by extortion: knowingly obtaining or seeking property or services by threatening to cause injury, damage property, commit another offense, accuse someone of a crime, expose a secret or damaging claim (including on social media), take or withhold official action, or make someone part with property. It is a class 4 felony (presumptive 2.5 years for a first offense), but a class 2 felony (presumptive 5 years) if the threat is to cause death or serious injury, or injury with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. It is a defense to threats of accusation, exposure or official action that a reasonable person would believe the threat was a reasonable accusation, exposure or lawsuit.

Arizona's rule on court-appointed lawyers: County public defenders, on court order, represent a person who is entitled to counsel as a matter of law and who is not financially able to employ counsel, in offenses triable in superior court or justice court and other listed proceedings. Representation by the public defender or court-appointed counsel is provided without expense to the defendant, and the court may not impose an indigent administrative assessment or order reimbursement to the county for legal services. A.R.S. § 11-584

Lawyers set their own fees, and Arizona has rules on how they may charge. See hiring a criminal defense lawyer in Arizona for fee rules, how to check a lawyer's license and free help.

How release before trial works in Arizona: All persons charged with crime are bailable except: for capital offenses, sexual assault, or sexual conduct with or molestation of a child under fifteen, when the proof is evident or the presumption great; for felonies committed while on bail for a separate felony; for felonies where the person poses a threat to others or the community and no release conditions can adequately assure safety; and for serious felonies by a person who entered or remained in the United States illegally. Bail and release conditions are meant to assure appearance, protect against witness intimidation, and protect the victim and community. At the initial appearance, a judicial officer orders a person charged with a bailable offense released pending trial on his or her own recognizance or on bail. The officer considers factors including the victim's views, the nature of the offense, prior serious or violent offenses, danger to the community, the weight of the evidence, family ties, employment, financial resources, character, mental condition, length of residence, record and history of court appearances. Conditions can include supervision by a designated person, travel or contact restrictions, a cash deposit, weapons/alcohol/drug bans and reporting; electronic monitoring and no-contact orders are mandatory for certain sexual and domestic-violence felonies. Ariz. Const. art. 2, § 22; A.R.S. § 13-3967 What happens after an arrest.

Each state sets its own rules for sealing or expunging records. See Arizona expungement and record sealing rules.