by Chris Rike | Oct 10, 2017 | Criminal Defense
What is a change of plea hearing? A change of plea hearing is a hearing held by the court wherein the defendant changes his or her plea. Typically, a defendant will plead “not guilty” at the beginning of a criminal case at the arraignment. If the defendant...
by Chris Rike | Sep 28, 2017 | Criminal Defense
Rule 11 and the definition of incompetency Rule 11 is the rule in the Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure that address how to proceed when it is believed the defendant is not competent to assist in their own defense or stand trial. Rule 11.1 provides: A person shall...
by Chris Rike | Sep 27, 2017 | Criminal Defense, Traffic Violations
Failure To Appear If you missed a court date, you were probably told you failed to appear. Here’s what to do. Criminal or Civil Failiure to Appear? Courts use “failure to appear” in both civil and criminal cases, which is confusing. They are very...
by Chris Rike | Aug 15, 2016 | Traffic Violations
Vehicle Impound In Arizona Why vehicles get impounded, and how to get them back. Arizona impound laws Why Would the Police Impound a Vehicle? Arizona state law permits the police to impound a vehicle if a driver is charged with any of the following: Driving on a...
by Chris Rike | Aug 4, 2016 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Traffic Violations, Photo Radar, Traffic Violations
Please, call an attorney before you take action on your next traffic ticket. Believe it or not, we often get calls from prospective clients who have irreparably harmed their case because they did not call an attorney and took action on their own first. The prospective...
by Chris Rike | Jul 25, 2016 | Criminal Defense, Traffic Violations, Uncategorized
Why would a criminal traffic case end up in juvenile court? Most criminal traffic cases involving a juvenile defendant do not end up in juvenile court; they are usually handled in the court of limited jurisdiction that covers the area where the violation took place. A...
by Chris Rike | Jun 27, 2016 | Traffic Violations
Before I discuss the burden of proof at a civil traffic hearing, I want to discuss a what a civil traffic hearing is first. If a police officer issues you a civil traffic ticket, you have a right to contest that ticket in court. To do so, you must request a civil...
by Chris Rike | Jun 6, 2016 | Constitutional Rights, Criminal Defense
My Traffic Stop A few years ago, I was driving through Colorado on my way home to Arizona. I was traveling the speed limit, but was nevertheless pulled over by a cop for allegedly exceeding the speed limit by 2 mph. The officer asked me to exit my vehicle and issued...
