During the period of time when the coronavirus was at its peak in Arizona, particularly during the months of April and May, police arrested people about as frequently as they did prior to the pandemic. However, many of these cases have not been prosecuted to date.Predominantly, county attorneys and prosecutors opted to only actively move forward on cases in which there was a significant risk to the community, such as
or
(though this was not true in all cases). Now that the pandemic restrictions are easing in our state, this is what to expect going forward.
Your case may have been “scratched,” or your court date vacated. But don’t get too comfortable, because this doesn’t mean your case is over:
- Prosecutors are likely to file the case sometime in the coming months
- Vacated or scratched cases are being filed in groups
- There is a backlog of many cases to be filed, and the courts have a backlog of cases to be heard
- For most cases, charges will be filed at some point in the next few months
If your case was vacated or scratched because of the pandemic, then you should immediately hire an experienced criminal defense attorney for the following reasons:
- An attorney can look out for possible warrants and determine whether prosecutors will file your case
- An attorney may be able to get ahead of your case and secure a better resolution by trying to negotiate before the case is filed
- Prosecutors may be more willing to be more lenient to get cases off their plates due to the heavy workload amid the pandemic
Aggressive & Reliable Criminal Defense Attorneys
At Suzuki Law Offices, L.L.C, our seasoned attorneys have a reputation of being efficient, honest, and skillful. Our team is available 24/7 to take your call and answer your legal questions, whether you are facing misdemeanor or felony charges. We know how important your freedom is, and that criminal charges can have a severe impact on your future. That is why you need to reach out as soon as possible to discuss the details of your case.