It is common for people to travel to Arizona and find themselves in legal trouble. With all the bars in Scottsdale and Tempe, people are out to have a good time. Unfortunately, having a good time is generally associated with consuming alcohol and alcohol impairs judgment. If you are arrested at or around Arizona State University, more than likely your case has been assigned to the University Lakes Justice Court.
If you live in the Phoenix area, traveling to the University Lakes Justice Court is no problem. But what happens if you live out of state? Students who get in trouble during the academic year go home for winter and summer break. It is also common that friends or family members come to Tempe just for the weekend to visit and have no intention of ever returning to Phoenix.
Most people call my office not understanding the seriousness of the charge they are facing. Some of the more common charges we see are minor in consumption of alcohol, minor in possession of alcohol, urinating in public and disorderly conduct. They wonder why they just can’t pay a small fine and have the whole case go away.
The truth is, all the charges mentioned above are misdemeanors. Your case has been assigned to a real Maricopa County court, in front of a judge and there is a prosecutor assigned to your case. You are now subject to the rules of criminal procedure.
Out Of State Court Options
If you live out of state and you have a case assigned the University Lakes Justice Court, you have two options. First, you may plead guilty and pay your fine. Second, you will have to travel back to Phoenix to resolve your case.
The issue with pleading guilty and paying your fine is you will forever have a criminal conviction on your record. While this may be the convenient option, if you decide to take this path, you are making a mistake that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
If you decide to travel back to Arizona, you will have to pay expensive airfare, hotels, rental car, etc. It is quite possible that you will have to return to Phoenix two or three times to resolve your case.
If you live out of state and you have a case at the University Lakes Justice Court, my office makes the process incredibly easy. Not only will you have an experienced lawyer working toward a dismissal of your charges, you will most likely not have to ever make an in person appearance for your case. Hiring us only makes sense. You can use the same amount of money you would spend travelling to Phoenix to hire a lawyer who has represented countless clients for the same charges you are facing and who is working toward getting your case dismissed. Call my office to discuss further.