Threatening and Intimidating is a Serious Charge
In Arizona, threatening and intimidating charges are not viewed lightly in the judicial system and can include physical or verbal threats, or even injury to another person or another person’s property. Threatening and intimidating charges are covered under Arizona Revised Statute 13-1202, and are closely related to assault and similar offenses.
These cases are taken very seriously in court, and are sometimes charged in conjunction with related offenses, like domestic violence. With the severity of these charges, it’s important to have a skilled defense attorney on your side to advocate for you. Our team at JacksonWhite takes your defense seriously and will pull out all the stops to seek reduced charges in your case.
Understanding ARS 13-1202
When seeking a strong legal defense against threatening and intimidating charges, it’s important to understand the charges against you. Under Arizona law, threatening and intimidation can take many forms. According to Arizona Revised Statute 13-1202, examples of threatening or intimidating other individuals may include:
- Physical or verbal injury to another person
- Significant damage to another person’s property
- Causing public inconveniences, such as evacuations
- Members of gangs or crime syndicates injuring others
Most often, the victim of threatening or intimidating conduct has a unique, subjective view of the situation. Unlike other crimes, it is not clear when someone is or is not threatened or intimidated, as it is typically a matter of personal, rather than objective, perspective.
Because of this, the legal defense for threatening and intimidating charges must be aggressive and unwavering. If there are other charges present, having a strong defense is even more paramount. Having the support of an experienced criminal defense attorney, like our team at JacksonWhite Law, can go a long way toward helping you understand the charges against you so that you can work together to combat harsh penalties.
Punishments for Threatening and Intimidating Charges
Under A.R.S. 13-1202, the penalties for a threatening and intimidating charge depend upon the severity of the act and any extenuating circumstances. The statute states that penalties for acts of threatening or intimidation can vary from a misdemeanor accompanied by a fine to a felony that requires time in prison.
Punishment for threatening or intimidating acts include:
- The penalty for injuring someone or damaging another’s property out of intimidation can be a class 1 misdemeanor and can include the following consequences:
- Up to 6 months in jail
- Up to $2,500 in fines
- Probation, community service, and restitution to the victim
- If that conduct is done in retaliation for someone reporting criminal conduct, such as assault or domestic violence, this can become a class 6 felony and can result in the following consequences:
- Up to 2 years in prison
- Fines up to $150,000
- Threatening or intimidating in order to promote a gang or crime group can be a class 3 felony and come with the following penalties:
- Up to 8.75 years in prison
- Fines up to $150,000
If you’ve been charged with any form of threatening or intimidating, your first step should always be to contact a criminal defense attorney. The above consequences can have long-term impacts on your reputation and your future. Our attorneys at JacksonWhite Law will work tirelessly to help you avoid the harshest penalties.
Why Hire JacksonWhite Law?
Facing criminal charges alone is never a good idea—consulting a criminal defense attorney with lengthy experience will always provide you with a better chance of successfully fighting your charges. Our team at JacksonWhite Law will advocate for you throughout every aspect of the legal process and ensure you have a full understanding so that your rights are protected.
We maintain significant attention to detail in every case, working to explore all your legal options, increasing your chances of the best possible outcome.
We support you in all the following areas:
- Protecting and advocating for your rights
- Crafting a strong legal defense
- Gathering evidence to support your defense
- Negotiating with prosecutors for reduced charges
In addition to all these layers of support, we’ll act as a partner to you throughout the process, ensuring you understand every step we take in your defense and why each step is necessary. We take a compassionate, empathetic approach to each case, working with you to protect your future while providing a resource to turn to whenever you have questions. Contact our team to schedule a consultation and learn more about your options.
Our Approach To Threatening & Intimidating Cases
At JacksonWhite, we take a detailed approach to every case, ensuring that we understand all of the unique circumstances around your case so that we can build the best possible defense. Our priority is working through every possible legal avenue to help you avoid the harshest penalties under the law.
We begin every case with a free initial consultation to understand the circumstances surrounding the charges against you. Using this consultation, we’ll begin crafting a strategy for your defense that maximizes the chances of a positive outcome.
From there, we will take the following steps:
- Evidence Gathering – We will gather all available evidence, including communication records and witness testimony, to combat the prosecution’s claims and attempt to prove your innocence.
- Strategy Development – Once we have a full picture of the circumstances surrounding your case, we’ll begin building a defense strategy that maximizes your chances of the best possible outcome.
- Negotiation – We’ll negotiate with the prosecution to secure a plea deal or settlement with the goal of minimizing your charges.
- Court Representation – Our attorneys will represent you in all court trials and hearings by presenting your defense and advocating for your rights.
Regardless of the case, our approach involves working tirelessly to build a defense in your favor. When you contact our team, we’ll get to work right away crafting a strategy that maximizes your chances of a positive outcome.
Common Defenses Against Intimidation Charges
Often, threatening and intimidating charges are brought against someone based solely on their side of the situation. Because of the subjective nature of intimidation, determining facts and falsehoods can be difficult at best.
A legal defense against a threatening and intimidation charge takes this into consideration by working to identify inaccurate information and statements. There are complexities that can only be handled by skilled legal teams, like ours here at JacksonWhite Law.
Our attorneys can use some of the following defenses in your favor:
- Lack of Intent – Depending on the circumstances of your case, we may be able to argue that you did not intend to be threatening or intimidating and were unaware they were perceived that way.
- False Accusations – In cases where you were misidentified as the perpetrator or wrongly accused of actions you did not commit, we can use this to argue for reduced charges.
- Self-Defense – If the actions perceived as threatening or intimidating were actually used in self-defense, we can potentially use this to get your charges reduced.
- Mutual Aggression – If both parties acted in mutual aggression, then we can build a defense that argues that your behavior was not threatening or intimidating.
- Lack of Evidence – In instances where the prosecution does not have enough evidence to prove that you actually committed the crime and convict you, we can use this to argue for a dismissal of the charges.
The best defense for your case depends on the unique circumstances surrounding it. At JacksonWhite, we’ve helped thousands of clients in the Phoenix metro area get the legal defense they deserve. We offer our clients affordable, comprehensive and effective legal services that can reduce your penalties and the impact of your charges. When you schedule a consultation with us, we’ll discuss the circumstances surrounding your case and determine the best possible defenses we can use.
Potential Outcomes for Your Case
If you are facing a charge for threatening and intimidating by yourself, you may be at risk of facing severe penalties, from harsh fines to years in jail. Fortunately, a criminal defense attorney may be able to help you avoid the harshest penalties under the law. With a strong defense strategy and experienced legal tactics, an attorney, like ours here at JacksonWhite, may be able to help you achieve a more positive outcome.
Using a careful defense strategy, our attorneys here at JacksonWhite may be able to help you secure some of the following outcomes:
- Case Dismissal – If the prosecution does not provide sufficient evidence for their case or there are procedural issues involved, we may be able to get your case dismissed.
- Not Guilty Verdict – By building a strong defense, we will work to convince the jury that you are not guilty of the crime and seek an acquittal in court.
- Plea Bargain – We will negotiate with the prosecution leading up to your trial to seek a plea agreement for reduced charge.
- Mitigated Sentencing – In cases where you do not have a criminal history, we will seek a mitigated sentence with less severe consequences, like probation, community service, or anger management classes.
- Expungement Possibility – If you have already been convicted of a threatening and intimidating charge, our defense team can help you explore and carry out the possibility of expunging the charges from your record.
- Avoiding Jail Time – In the event that the prosecution has a strong case to convict you, we can still pursue reduced penalties, like probation, to help you avoid jail time.
Still, every case is different, so the potential outcomes depend on the unique circumstances of your case and the defenses that are available to you. To gain a better understanding of your legal options, you should consult with an experienced defense attorney. Through an initial consultation with our team at JacksonWhite Law, we’ll discuss your options with you and begin crafting a strategy to pursue the best possible outcome.
Don’t Let a Threatening or Intimidating Charge Derail Your Future
Threatening and intimidating charges under ARS 13-1202 can have significant consequences. If you’ve been charged, it’s crucial that you seek the support of an attorney to help you navigate the legal system and build a defense so you can avoid the harshest possible legal penalties. Threatening or intimidating charges require a solid legal defense, and the team at JacksonWhite Law can provide just that.
Our threatening and intimidating charge defense attorneys have combined decades of experience in these cases, taking a detailed approach to advocate for each client. We’ll take the time to understand your case and build a worthy defense that is likely to maximize your chances of reduced or dropped charges. If you’ve been charged, contact our office today to receive a free case consultation with our team.
Call the JacksonWhite Criminal Law team at (480) 568-4235 to discuss your case today.
