Understanding Burglary Charge in Arizona

When it comes to burglary charges in Arizona, there are three types.  While a simple burglary charge does not hold significant penalties, there are certain factors that can influence your burglary charges and make them more serious which means they carry more significant penalties.  It is important to understand what factors can influence your burglary charges and escalate them from 1st degree burglary to 2nd degree or 3rd degree burglary.  Factors that will be influential in your Arizona burglary case include whether or not a weapon was used, if the defendant was with an accomplice, if anyone was hurt or threatened, or if the defendant has any prior felony convictions.

At its core, burglary in Arizona is a trespassing case where the intent behind the trespassing is to commit theft or a felony.  Because of this, officers and prosecutors will question the defendant about the intent and it is incredibly important that you do not make any statements or answer any questions without first contacting an experienced Arizona criminal defense attorney.  You can be charged with burglary even if you do not steal anything or commit a felony if that was your original intent so the words you say are very important.  Because the prosecution and arresting officers will have to focus so heavily on intent, a good Arizona criminal defense attorney will be able to refute claims and argue that establishing intent and getting inside the mind of the defendant is very difficult.

At Alcock Law, we not only have an immense amount of experience representing clients in Arizona criminal defense cases but we also have a former judge and former prosecutor on our team so we understand how they will approach your burglary case. It gives us the competitive edge to formulate a better and more comprehensive representation of your case.  If any factors aforementioned are found that influence your burglary case and escalate your charges to 2nd or 3rd degree burglary, the penalties grow.  While 1st degree burglary cases often only carry probation penalties, 2nd or 3rd degree charges come with potential penalties of up to 4 years in prison.  At Alcock Law, we have a long history of winning burglary cases and will develop a strategic representation of your case to get your charges dismissed, reduced or obtain the best possible outcome in your case.