Pima County Justice Court Indigent Defense

Information for court-appointed clients in Pima County Justice Court.

Even though I own my own law firm in Tucson specializing in criminal defense and small business services, I am a public defender at heart. I am one of several attorneys in Pima County on a government contract to represent individuals accused of misdemeanor crimes in Pima County Justice Court.

If I was appointed as your attorney:

If you are a defendant in Pima County Justice court, and the judge appointed me to represent you, this post was made for you. It should answer some basic questions and prepare you for what to expect going forward. If you prefer a video explanation, watch this video:

When a judge appoints me to represent you, my role is to look at the evidence the government intends to use against you, the applicable laws, and your personal circumstances in order to advise you about options. I will also act as your advocate and representative throughout the criminal process–both with the County Attorney and with the Judge and jury.

Make sure I know how to get ahold of you.

When I get appointed, the Judge will give you my name and phone number. It is important that you get in contact with me as soon as possible to ensure that I have a good phone number, email, and address for you. Sometimes in criminal cases, decisions need to be made quickly, so it is important I know how to reach you.

Waiting for disclosure:

Once I am appointed, it takes some time for the Pima County Attorney’s office to send me information about your case. I also can’t give you competent legal advice until I receive that information. Generally, they get me the information a day or two before your next court date.

This can be frustrating if you want to know the evidence, have questions, or want to move things along more quickly. Unfortunately, I can’t make them get me the information any quicker. This means that we usually don’t have time to meet or have a meaningful conversation until the day before your court date, or sometime thereafter. Rest assured, this is normal and okay.

Case Management Conference:

At that first hearing, called a Case Management Conference, the purpose is to check in with the judge to let him or her know the status of the case. Most times, I tell the court that I just received documents. I let the judge know whether any important information is missing, and that I need more time to discuss it with my client. There is never a problem with needing more time to evaluate the case and discuss. Depending on the type of case, we may need to continue a couple more times to gather information and meet.

Appearing in Court:

So long as you are in good contact with me, I can usually waive your presence in court by letting the judge know that I am in good contact and that I can get you the information about your next hearing. If you choose to call in, be aware that the court sets dozens of hearings at the same time each day, so you may be waiting for a long time to see the judge.

Make an Appointment to Meet with me.

Once we receive all of the information and evidence in your case, you should make an appointment to come into my office to meet with me. I have a convenient scheduling link so that you can find a time that works with your schedule and easily cancel and reschedule if necessary. If you need to meet on the weekend, please just let me or my staff know so that we can find a time outside of our regular schedule.

During our meeting, I will discuss with you the charges, the potential penalties, the elements of the crimes charged, the evidence against you, the evidence in your favor, and potential defenses. If there has been a plea offer, we will discuss your options–meaning whether you want to go to trial or accept a plea. In any criminal case, it is ALWAYS the decision of the defendant whether or not to go to trial or accept a plea. My job is to tell you what potential risks and benefits are to either option.

Plea vs. Trial:

If you decide to accept a plea offer, you can sign the paperwork in my office and call into court later to enter into the agreement. You will have to go to Pima County Justice court to be fingerprinted, so it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment during the week if you anticipate you will be accepting a plea offer.

If you decide to go to trial, you will need to call into the subsequent hearing where we will set a trial date. Usually, trials are set several months in the future in order to give me time to adequately prepare your defense.

Again, it's always your decision whether you go to trial or accept a plea offer, and you should only make this decision after sitting down with me and discussing the facts and the law in your case.

More Questions?

I hope this article answered your questions about what to expect in your criminal case. If you still have questions, feel free to call, text, or email me at any time.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to representing you.