602-900-7625
Free Consultation
A felony-level assault investigation could have produced charges that locked in years of court exposure and a permanent felony record. Future First engaged at the prefile stage, controlled the client’s interaction with investigators, and the State declined to file charges.
At a glance
| Stage | Prefile (no charges ever filed) |
| Investigation type | Felony-level assault/misconduct investigation |
| Exposure if filed | Felony prosecution, possible sex-offense registration requirements depending on charge category, immigration consequences, permanent record |
| Result | Investigation closed approximately 2022 with no criminal prosecution |
| Conviction | None |
| Eligibility for set aside | N/A (no conviction) |
| Eligibility for sealing | Immediate under ARS § 13-911 (arrest/investigation record) |
The stakes
The client was the subject of a prefile investigation involving an alleged felony assault/misconduct matter. The matter sat in the investigative phase with the police and the prosecutor’s intake unit.
A filed charge at the level alleged would have exposed the client to a felony prosecution, the possibility of sex-offense registration requirements depending on charge category, immigration consequences, and a permanent record that would follow the client for life.
What we did
Future First engaged at the prefile stage, controlled the client’s interaction with investigators, and built the defense before any complaint reached a courtroom. After the firm’s defense work, the State declined to file charges. The investigation closed approximately 2022 with no prosecution.
The client now qualifies for sealing records under ARS § 13-911, which removes the incident from public view going forward.
What our clients say
Future First Criminal Law has earned hundreds of five-star reviews from clients across Arizona. Read our verified Google reviews or see what past clients have said on our client reviews page.
If you’re the subject of a prefile investigation in Arizona
The prefile stage in Arizona criminal cases is the window between the underlying incident and the formal filing of charges. The case sits with police investigators, the prosecutor’s intake unit, or both. Witnesses may still be interviewed. Evidence may still be collected. Charging decisions have not yet been finalized.
Defense work at the prefile stage is the strongest leverage point in the entire criminal process. Once a complaint or indictment is filed, the case is on the prosecutor’s docket and the negotiation framework changes. Before filing, the prosecutor still has discretion over whether to charge at all, what counts to file, and whether to file at the felony or misdemeanor level. A well-positioned prefile defense package can change all of those decisions.
The most important defensive moves at the prefile stage usually include: declining to give statements to investigators without counsel, managing any contact with alleged victims through counsel, gathering and preserving exculpatory evidence before it disappears, and submitting a written disposition letter to the prosecutor that frames the case from the defense perspective. When the prosecutor reviews the file with the defense narrative already in place, the charging decision can shift from “file felony” to “file misdemeanor,” “file misdemeanor” to “decline,” or “decline” to a definitive close.
Future First Criminal Law has handled prefile felony investigations across Maricopa County and Arizona. We know how investigators and intake prosecutors evaluate cases, what disposition letters tend to move the needle, and how to position a client so the case closes at the prefile stage rather than moving to formal charges.
Related resources
- Arizona criminal defense — full overview of how we handle felony and misdemeanor charges
- Set aside and sealing in Arizona — how to clean up your record after a prefile investigation
Call us
Under investigation for a felony in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-900-7625 or request a free consultation. We have handled hundreds of prefile cases across Arizona. The earlier we are involved, the more options you have for closing the matter before formal charges are filed.
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 and prefile procedure, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.