{"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":"
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 Arizona law has a wide variety of laws that cover obstruction, since there are many ways a person can commit the offense along with other misdemeanor or felony crimes. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n You\u2019re guilty of refusing to aid a peace officer if you knowingly refuse to help them prevent the commission of an offense or secure an arrest. To be guilty of this crime, you must make your refusal after a reasonable command from someone who it should be reasonably known is a peace officer. Refusing to aid a peace officer is a misdemeanor<\/a> crime.<\/p>\n If you use force, threats of force, intimidation, misrepresentation, or bribery<\/a> to prevent, delay, or obstruct testimony related to a crime to a grand jury, prosecutor, magistrate, or peace officer, you\u2019ve committed this crime. In addition, retaliating due to testimony or such information being given to a grand jury, prosecutor, magistrate, or peace officer may qualify as obstructing criminal investigations or prosecutions. This is a felony crime.<\/p>\n It\u2019s illegal to refuse to give your real, full name when a peace officer has lawfully detained you and you\u2019ve been advised that refusing to answer the question is unlawful. This obstruction offense is a misdemeanor crime.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve committed impersonating a public servant<\/a> if you\u2019ve pretended to be a public servant and engaged in activity intending to get another person to submit to your false authority or to rely on your falsely official actions. A notary public is considered a public servant according to the terms of this law. Impersonating a public servant is a misdemeanor offense.<\/p>\n You\u2019re committing this crime if you create an unreasonable hazard or inconvenience or recklessly<\/a> interfere with a public thoroughfare or highway\u2019s passage without the legal privilege of doing so. This is a misdemeanor offense.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve committed compounding if you\u2019ve knowingly agreed to accept or accepted financial benefit for not reporting to law enforcement the suspected or certain commission of an offense or information regarding one, or for not pursuing prosecution of an offense. Compounding will be charged as a felony if the crime in question was a felony charge, and a misdemeanor if it wasn\u2019t a felony offense.<\/p>\n Other obstruction crimes include (but aren\u2019t limited to) refusing to assist in the control of a fire, obstructing an officer from collecting public money, and tampering with a public record.<\/p>\n Obstructing governmental operations is a misdemeanor crime, but other obstruction crimes are considered more serious. Obstructing criminal prosecutions, for example, is a felony<\/a>, as is impersonating a police officer. As mentioned, if you committed a criminal offense and have prior offenses, penalties will be more severe.<\/p>\n Possible Defenses for Obstructing Crimes Here are some questions related to the legal terms about obstructing government operations (and other crimes of obstruction) in Arizona:<\/p>\n A: It means that, in committing the offense, you acted consciously or with complete understanding or knowledge of the circumstance.<\/p>\n A: Misdemeanor crimes are criminal acts that are considered \u201clesser,\u201d and therefore punished less severely than felony crimes. Many misdemeanor offenses are punished by fees and no jail time.<\/p>\n A: Physical force means pressure, violence, or power directed at another person with physical action. You can\u2019t make physical contact of a provoking or insulting nature without the act involving an element of physical force (which isn\u2019t necessarily the same as \u201cdeadly physical force<\/a>\u201d).<\/p>\n A: A peace officer is any individual vested by law with an obligation to maintain public order. It\u2019s usually an employee of the municipality, county, or state. It may be a law enforcement official or sheriff whose responsibilities include executing civil and criminal warrants, detecting and preventing criminal offenses, making arrests, and searches or seizures.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been accused of obstructing government operations or a related crime, it\u2019s imperative that you speak with a criminal defense attorney today. To construct a proper defense, you need an experienced legal professional on your side. The sooner you talk to one, the better your chances will be at reducing your charges or even having them dismissed altogether.<\/p>\nWhat to Keep in Mind About Obstruction of Governmental Operations<\/h2>\n
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Obstruction Crimes in Arizona<\/h2>\n
\u201cRefusing to Aid a Peace Officer\u201d<\/h4>\n
\u201cObstructing Criminal Investigations of Prosecutions\u201d<\/h4>\n
\u201cRefusing to provide truthful name when lawfully detained\u201d<\/h4>\n
\u201cImpersonating a public servant\u201d<\/h4>\n
\u201cObstructing a highway or other public thoroughfare\u201d<\/h4>\n
\u201cCompounding\u201d<\/h4>\n
Penalties for Obstruction-Related Crimes<\/h2>\n
\nThe assertion of innocence is one of the simplest defenses that exist for criminal charges. Another common defense is constitutional violations or a violation of your Miranda rights<\/a> during your arrest. In other cases, your attorney may be able to prove that you weren\u2019t at the scene of the crime when it took place by means of an alibi.<\/p>\nFrequently Asked Questions on Obstruction Crimes<\/h2>\n
Q: What does it mean to \u201cknowingly\u201d obstruct government operations?<\/h3>\n
Q: What is a misdemeanor offense?<\/h3>\n
Q: How is \u201cphysical force\u201d defined according to the law?<\/h3>\n
Q: What is the legal definition of a \u201cpeace officer\u201d?<\/h3>\n
What to Do if You Need Help with an Obstruction Charge<\/h2>\n