A Class 5 Felony at Maricopa County Superior Court carried a presumptive 1.5-year prison term, a permanent felony record, loss of civil rights, and a sensitive-offense designation that follows the record for life. Future First reduced the case to a Class 1 Misdemeanor via the Attempt framework under ARS § 13-1001 with no prison and no felony record.
At a glance
| Court | Maricopa County Superior Court |
| Original charge | Class 5 Felony charge in Maricopa County Superior Court |
| Presumptive exposure | Presumptive prison sentence of 1.5 years, range running to 2.5 years for non-dangerous non-repetitive offenders, a permanent felony record, loss of voting and firearm rights while under sentence, immigration exposure, and a sensitive-offense designation that follows the record through every background check, licensing review, and employment screen for life |
| Result | State amended charge to Attempt to Commit the underlying offense under ARS § 13-1001, dropping it from a Class 5 Felony to a Class 1 Misdemeanor under ARS § 13-707; 1 year supervised probation; no jail; no prison; no felony record; civil rights preserved |
| Eligibility for set aside | After probation completion under ARS § 13-905 |
| Eligibility for sealing | Approximately 2029 under ARS § 13-911, three years after probation completion |
The stakes
The client faced a Class 5 Felony charge in Maricopa County Superior Court. F5 carries a presumptive prison sentence of 1.5 years, a range running to 2.5 years for non-dangerous non-repetitive offenders, a permanent felony record, loss of voting and firearm rights while under sentence, immigration exposure, and a sensitive-offense designation that follows the record through every background check, licensing review, and employment screen for life.
What we did
Future First negotiated the State to amend the charge to Attempt to Commit under ARS § 13-1001, which drops the offense class. The negotiated outcome went further and resolved the case as a Class 1 Misdemeanor under ARS § 13-707 with 1 year of supervised probation and no jail. No felony record. Civil rights preserved. Set aside under ARS § 13-905 available after probation completion. Sealing records under ARS § 13-911 eligible approximately 2029, three years after probation completion.
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If you’re facing a Class 5 Felony in Arizona
The Attempt framework under ARS § 13-1001 is a preparatory-offense doctrine that drops the offense class by one level. An Attempt to commit a Class 5 Felony is a Class 6 Felony. An Attempt to commit a Class 6 Felony is a Class 1 Misdemeanor. When the State agrees to a plea to Attempt instead of the underlying offense, the offense class drops by one level automatically.
Reducing a Class 5 Felony all the way to a Class 1 Misdemeanor required combining the Attempt framework with additional negotiation. The Attempt substitution would have dropped the offense to a Class 6 Felony at first. The further negotiation dropped the case all the way to a misdemeanor disposition under ARS § 13-707, which eliminates the felony record entirely.
Civil rights preservation is the long-tail benefit of avoiding any felony designation. Felony convictions in Arizona trigger loss of voting and firearm rights during the sentence, plus federal firearm restrictions that persist even after restoration. A misdemeanor disposition avoids those consequences entirely.
Future First Criminal Law has handled Class 5 Felony cases across Maricopa County and Arizona. We know how Maricopa County Superior Court evaluates Attempt-based plea structures and felony-to-misdemeanor reductions.
Related resources
- Arizona criminal defense — felony defense strategy and process
- Set aside and sealing in Arizona — how to clean up your record after a felony
Call us
Facing felony charges in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-932-7890 or request a free consultation. We have handled hundreds of Arizona felony cases. The earlier we are involved, the more options you have.
Anonymized in line with firm policy. Client name not used. Specific dates approximated to year only. Outcome described reflects this client’s actual results. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. For more detailed information on Arizona criminal law, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.