Florence Municipal Court
775 North Main Street
Florence, AZ
(520) 868-7514

Tucson City Court
103 E. Alameda St.
Tucson, AZ 85701
Phone: (520) 791-4216

Pima County Consolidated Justice Court
115 N. Church Avenue, 2nd Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701
(520) 740-3171

Pima County Superior Court
110 W Congress Street
Tucson, AZ 85701-1334
(520) 740-4200

United States District Court, District of Arizona (Tucson)
405 W Congress St
Tucson, AZ 85701-5098
(520) 205-4245

Nogales Justice Court
2150 N Congress Dr
Nogales , AZ 85628
(520) 375-7760

Sahuarita Municipal Court
360 W Sahuarita Center Way
Sahuarita, AZ 85629-8487
(520) 344-7150

Santa Cruz County Superior Court
2150 N Congress Dr # 209
Nogales, AZ 85621-1090
(520) 761-7806

San Tan Regional Court Center
201 E Chicago St
Chandler, AZ 85225
(602) 372-3400

If the police believe that they have enough probable cause to arrest a person for a crime, they will either place the person under arrest, or issue the person a citation with a promise to appear in court on a certain date. If the person is taken to jail, he or she will be transported to court for their first court date, unless they are released on some basis.

The very first time a person is seen by a judge is called an initial appearance. Charges may or may not be filed at this point. Once charges are actually filed, the person will again appear before a judge for an arraignment.

If the case is a felony, the next hearing will be a preliminary hearing, in which the government has the burden of proving probable cause to support the charges. Depending on the jurisdiction, the preliminary hearing could be waived, because the State may opt to take the case to a grand jury to prove probable cause.

If probable cause is found by either a judge or a grand jury, the next hearing is an arraignment. At the arraignment, a judge must advise the person of the charges, and address the issue of conditions of release. The court will generally enter a not guilty plea for the person at the arraignment, if there is no lawyer representing the person.

After the arraignment, the court will set either a pretrial conference, or a case management conference, depending on the circumstances. This is the first hearing where the defendant, his or lawyer, the prosecutor, and the judge all discuss the case, whether there are any legal issues that need to be addressed, whether the case will go to trial, and any other legal issues. It is not uncommon for there to be several pretrial conferences or case management conferences in a criminal case.

At this point, the case may go to trial. At trial, the government always has the burden to prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. If the judge or the jury finds the defendant not guilty, then the case is over. If there is a finding of guilt, then the case proceeds to sentencing.

At sentencing, the judge will impose a sentence based on the law in effect at the time of the offense. Depending on the type of case, the criminal history of the defendant, and other factors, the judge may exercise his or discretion when sentencing a person. In some situations, however, the law may require that a judge sentence a person to a specific sentence.

The process in choosing the right attorney to represent you is not much different than the process you go through when making other important decisions in your life — you need to make an informed, educated decision about the attorney who will best represent your interests.  Here are 3 tips for helping you make that informed decision.

1. Consult with more than attorney, and interview him or her as if you were interviewing them for a job because in reality, you are hiring a person for a job – to protect and represent your legal interests.  Your chances of hiring the right lawyer increase if you treat the attorney selection process this way.  For example, you need to find about the attorney’s experience in your particular legal matter, their knowledge of local court practice, and their working relationship with the judges, prosecutors, and staff who will be involved in the case.
2. You should always speak with the actual attorney who you are considering hiring.  Do not settle for consulting with a firm manager, an associate,  a paralegal, or other staff member. The attorney you choose should be willing to personally meet with you to discuss your matter, and should be the only person who handles your case.
3. Beware of pushy salesman tactics. If you start to feel like your buying a used car, go with your gut, and move on to another attorney. No attorney can guarantee a specific result. A lawyer can only offer a probable, realistic outcome, based on his or her experience.