{"id":9939,"date":"2014-03-06T10:00:13","date_gmt":"2014-03-06T17:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/?p=9939"},"modified":"2023-11-15T16:30:50","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T23:30:50","slug":"obstructing-governmental-operations-arizona-ars-13-2402","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/blog\/obstructing-governmental-operations-arizona-ars-13-2402\/","title":{"rendered":"Arizona’s Obstructing Governmental Operations Laws (A.R.S. 13-2402)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n

According to A.R.S. 13-2402<\/a>, you can get arrested for obstructing governmental operations by interfering with law enforcement duties or by using physical force or violence or threatening to do so.<\/p>\n

You may be arrested if you knowingly hinder, impair, or obstruct a governmental function\u2019s performance by an officially acting public servant. It\u2019s also unlawful to knowingly hinder, impair, or obstruct the preservation of the peace or enforcement of penal law<\/a> by a law enforcement officer acting officially.<\/p>\n

Obstructing governmental operations is a misdemeanor crime, but this offense does not include hindering, impairing, or obstructing the making of an arrest. Penalties can vary widely depending on your criminal history and other factors, from minor fines to time in prison. We\u2019ll cover possible defenses for obstruction crimes in Arizona and what to do if you need help with a charge.<\/p>\n

What to Keep in Mind About Obstruction of Governmental Operations<\/h2>\n