These answers are general. Your situation is specific. Call for a free, confidential consultation.
What should I do if I am arrested or under investigation in Arizona?
Exercise your right to remain silent immediately and completely. You are not required to answer questions, explain yourself, or cooperate with an investigation beyond identifying yourself when lawfully required.
Call Long & Simmons Law before you speak to anyone. Early legal involvement can preserve evidence, identify witnesses, and sometimes prevent charges from being filed.
Can evidence be suppressed in my Arizona criminal case?
Yes. When law enforcement violates constitutional protections, evidence obtained through that violation may be excluded from trial.
Suppression can be case-changing. A drug quantity that cannot be introduced is a trafficking charge that may not survive. A suppressed statement is a confession that never reaches the jury.
What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony in Arizona?
Misdemeanors can carry county jail, fines, probation, and a criminal record. Felonies carry prison exposure, loss of civil rights, firearm consequences, and long-term impacts on employment, housing, and licensing.
Many charges can be elevated based on priors, victim status, dangerous-instrument allegations, or other statutory factors.
What is the Arizona dangerous offense sentencing enhancement?
A dangerous offense enhancement applies when a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument is alleged in connection with a felony.
When the enhancement applies, mandatory prison often replaces probation options. Whether it applies depends on the specific facts and can be heavily contested.
Does a domestic violence conviction affect my gun rights?
Yes. Under federal law, a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence can create a permanent firearms prohibition.
Arizona orders of protection and arrest conditions can also affect firearm possession while a case is pending.
What is a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist in Arizona?
Board Certification in Criminal Law is granted by the State Bar of Arizona to attorneys who demonstrate substantial criminal law knowledge, trial experience, peer recognition, and examination-based competence.
It is an independent credential, not a self-designated title.
How does a former prosecutor help my criminal defense?
A former prosecutor knows how the state builds its case, what evidence it prioritizes, how it prepares witnesses, and where it may cut corners under pressure.
That knowledge changes investigation strategy, motion practice, negotiation, and trial preparation.
What makes Long & Simmons Law different from other criminal defense firms in Arizona?
Both partners are former Major Felony prosecutors. The firm brings board certification, death-penalty qualification, law-enforcement training experience, and more than 100 jury trials as lead counsel.
The practical difference is methodological: they have built serious prosecutions before, so they know how to test the prosecution now.
