Phoenix Criminal Defense Attorney Aaron Black - Blog

Fraud is defined as a “scheme or artifice to defraud, knowingly obtains any benefit by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises or material omissions” and to “deprive a person of the intangible right of honest services.” more...

If you or a loved one have been charged or are under investigation for smash and grab theft or another theft offense... more...

Arson laws in Arizona cover structure, property, wildland, reckless and cross burning fires, and the charges can be misdemeanors or felonies for “knowingly and unlawfully” committing arson. more...

Using deadly physical force to defend yourself is allowed in AZ. “A person is justified in threatening or using physical force against another when and to the extent a reasonable person would believe that physical force is immediately necessary to protect himself..." more...

Burglary is defined in Arizona law as entering and unlawfully remaining in a structure or on property intending to commit a theft or any other felony while inside. A conviction can result even if nothing was stolen during the break-in. All that is required is having the intent to steal. more...

Authorities arrested five men in four separate criminal negligence incidents for allegedly firing bullets into the air on New Year’s Eve to celebrate the arrival of 2022. more...

Road rage begins with aggressive driving, which is a traffic offense, and road rage moves the offense into the criminal code as a very serious felony with prison, significant fines and life-changing restrictions as punishments. more...

Those selling or trafficking Fentanyl open themselves to a Class 2 felony carrying long prison sentences if convicted and a drastically altered life after release from prison. Here are just a few examples of fentanyl cases so far this year... more...

Unknowingly buying stolen property is not an excuse. You can still be prosecuted. That is because the law wants to discourage anyone to benefit from a crime. A person who knowingly buys something that was stolen is colluding with the criminal and is equally guilty. more...

The centuries old practice of dismissing potential jurors without providing a reason, called peremptory, will end in Arizona at the beginning of 2022, ruled the Arizona Supreme Court. more...

If you drive the 101, 202 or the 303 a lot you might have seen a speeding car zipping in and out of traffic and taking chances. You may have seen two cars doing that together. Either way you have witnessed the dangerous activity of racing on greater Phoenix freeways. more...

Drivers who are unfortunate enough to hit someone in Phoenix and make a snap decision to flee the scene are bringing more trouble upon themselves. Circumstances of the misfortune may lead to a viable defense for a felony hit-and-run crime. more...

Law enforcement in Arizona has every right to enter a home in hot pursuit of a felony suspect but the U.S. Supreme Court is deciding if law officers can legally enter private property in misdemeanor cases without a search warrant. Any evidence gathered during an illegal search cannot be used against the defendant. more...

Arizona legislators have enacted laws aimed at street and syndicate gangs to curtail criminal behavior including drive-by shootings; illicit drug sales; weapon violations; homicide and graffiti; assault; burglary; rape; drug possession, use, sales and trafficking; smuggling and homicide, among other offenses. Organized crimes are aggressively prosecuted and the sentences are harsh because these crimes are considered attacks on society. Members of street gangs and organized crime who are convicted often continue their associations in the form of prison gangs. Those convicted under gang laws face harsh penalties, and in certain cases will not qualify for probation. more...

All across our nation, pandemic lockdowns and restrictions have dramatically increased the rate of domestic violence and murder, two crimes that often are connected. During 2020, 51 cities of various sizes across the U.S. saw an average 35% jump in murder from 2019 to 2020, according to crime analyst Jeff Asher of Crimealytics in a Christian Science Monitor report published in December 2020. more...

In certain situations involving a Class 6 felony, the least serious in the range of felonies, it may be possible to have the felony reduced to a Class 1 misdemeanor, the most serious in the misdemeanor class, but still much easier to live with than a felony conviction. more...

Arizona’s compressed cities and sprawling ranches are protected by criminal trespassing law, which is also often alleged as a lesser included offense in arson, burglary, home invasion and robbery crimes. Even standing alone, a criminal trespassing conviction means a criminal record, time in jail, probation, and significant fines so it is not an inconsequential offense. Criminal trespassing law is broad ranging from, someone uninvited is on the private property of someone’s home, to criminal damage. The laws are codified in three sections of Arizona’s Revised Statutes for first, second, and third degree offenses. more...

If law enforcement has arrested you for a crime, then it is important to know how to conduct yourself. You do not want to have your words or actions used against you in court. Criminal defense attorney Aaron Black explains how to avoid self-incrimination while in custody. more...

Since the pandemic began, calls reporting domestic violence have risen by 140 percent over calls a year ago according to the Phoenix Police Department. more...

On its face it may seem unfair for someone to be criminally charged for an act performed by someone else. But those who in any way assist someone to commit or cover up a crime will face the same charges and penalties as the actual perpetrator. more...