Vandalism Laws in Arizona

Vandalism is called criminal damage in Arizona: recklessly defacing, damaging or tampering with another person's property, including graffiti (drawing or inscribing a message, slogan, sign or symbol on a building or surface without the owner's permission). It is graded by the amount of damage: more than $250 but less than $1,000 is a class 1 misdemeanor; $1,000 or more but less than $2,000 is a class 6 felony; $2,000 or more but less than $10,000 is a class 5 felony; $10,000 or more is a class 4 felony; and all other criminal damage is a class 2 misdemeanor. Damage done to help a criminal street gang is a class 5 felony. Damaging a place of worship, a school, or a cemetery is aggravated criminal damage, a felony at any amount (class 6, rising to class 5 at $1,500 and class 4 at $10,000).

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.