A. Except as provided in subsection P of this section, every person convicted of a criminal offense, on fulfillment of the conditions of probation or sentence and discharge by the court, may apply to the court to have the judgment of guilt set aside. The convicted person shall be informed of this right at the time of sentencing. The court may issue an order that includes a certificate of second chance to a person whose judgment of guilt is set aside pursuant to subsection K or N of this section.

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Terms Used In Arizona Laws 13-905

  • Act: means a bodily movement. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Conduct: means an act or omission and its accompanying culpable mental state. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Dangerous offense: means an offense involving the discharge, use or threatening exhibition of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or the intentional or knowing infliction of serious physical injury on another person. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Felony: means an offense for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in the custody of the state department of corrections is authorized by any law of this state. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Firearm: means any loaded or unloaded handgun, pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun or other weapon that will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of expanding gases, except that it does not include a firearm in permanently inoperable condition. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • Minor: means a person under eighteen years of age. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Misdemeanor: means an offense for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment other than to the custody of the state department of corrections is authorized by any law of this state. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Person: means a human being and, as the context requires, an enterprise, a public or private corporation, an unincorporated association, a partnership, a firm, a society, a government, a governmental authority or an individual or entity capable of holding a legal or beneficial interest in property. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Possess: means knowingly to have physical possession or otherwise to exercise dominion or control over property. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Writing: includes printing. See Arizona Laws 1-215

B. The person or the person’s attorney or probation officer may apply to set aside the judgment. The clerk of the court may not charge a filing fee for an application to have a judgment of guilt set aside.

C. The court shall consider the following factors when determining whether to set aside the conviction:

1. The nature and circumstances of the offense that the conviction is based on.

2. The applicant’s compliance with the conditions of probation, the sentence imposed and any state department of corrections’ rules or regulations, if applicable.

3. Any prior or subsequent convictions.

4. The victim’s input and the status of victim restitution, if any.

5. The length of time that has elapsed since the completion of the applicant’s sentence.

6. The applicant’s age at the time of the conviction.

7. Any other factor that is relevant to the application.

D. If the application is granted, the court shall set aside the judgment of guilt, dismiss the complaint, information or indictment and order that the person be released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the conviction except those imposed by:

1. The department of transportation pursuant to section 28-3304, 28-3305, 28-3306, 28-3307, 28-3308, 28-3312 or 28-3319.

2. The game and fish commission pursuant to section 17-314 or 17-340.

3. A lifetime injunction that is issued pursuant to section 13-719.

E. A conviction that is set aside may be:

1. Used as a conviction if the conviction would be admissible had it not been set aside.

2. Alleged as an element of an offense.

3. Used as a prior conviction.

4. Pleaded and proved in any subsequent prosecution of the person by this state or any political subdivision of this state for any offense.

5. Used by the department of transportation in enforcing section 28-3304, 28-3305, 28-3306, 28-3307, 28-3308, 28-3312 or 28-3319 as if the judgment of guilt had not been set aside.

6. Used as the basis to issue a lifetime injunction pursuant to section 13-719.

F. The clerk of the court must notify the department of public safety if a conviction is set aside. The department of public safety must update the person’s criminal history with an annotation that the conviction has been set aside and, if applicable, a certificate of second chance has been issued but may not redact or remove any part of the person’s record.

G. This section does not:

1. Require a law enforcement agency to redact or remove a record or information from the record of a person whose conviction is set aside.

2. Preclude the department of public safety or the board of fingerprinting from considering a conviction that has been set aside when evaluating an application for a fingerprint clearance card pursuant to Section 41-1758.03 or 41-1758.07.

H. If the state or the victim objects to an application to have a judgment of guilt set aside, an objection to the application must be filed within thirty days after the application is filed with the court. If an objection is filed, the court may set a hearing.

I. If the court denies an application to have a judgment of guilt set aside, the court shall state its reasons for the denial in writing and on the record.

J. A victim has the right to be present and be heard at any proceeding in which the defendant has filed an application to have a judgment of guilt set aside pursuant to this section. If the victim has made a request for postconviction notice, the attorney for the state shall provide the victim with notice of the defendant’s application, of whether the person is eligible for a certificate of second chance and of the rights provided to the victim in this section.

K. If the court grants the application to set aside the judgment of guilt, the court’s order must include a certificate of second chance if the person was convicted of any of the following:

1. A misdemeanor.

2. A class 4, 5 or 6 felony and at least two years have elapsed since the person fulfilled the conditions of probation or sentence.

3. A class 2 or 3 felony and at least five years have elapsed since the person fulfilled the conditions of probation or sentence.

L. Notwithstanding subsection K of this section, a person is not eligible for a certificate of second chance if the person has previously received a certificate of second chance on the set aside of a felony conviction. For the purposes of this subsection, "felony conviction" includes multiple felony convictions resulting from the same act or course of conduct.

M. The certificate of second chance:

1. Unless specifically excluded by this section, releases the person from all barriers and disabilities in obtaining an occupational license issued under title 32 that resulted from the conviction if the person is otherwise qualified.

2. Provides an employer of the person with all of the protections that are provided pursuant to Section 12-558.03.

3. Provides another person or an entity that provides housing to the person with all of the protections limiting the introduction of evidence that are provided to an employer pursuant to Section 12-558.03, subsection B.

4. Is not a recommendation or sponsorship for or a promotion of the person who possesses the certificate of second chance when applying for an occupational license, employment or housing.

N. If the court does not issue an order that includes a certificate of second chance when the person’s conviction is set aside, the person, unless otherwise precluded by this section, may apply to the court for a certificate of second chance after meeting the requirements prescribed in subsection K of this section. If a victim has made a request for postconviction notice, the attorney for the state shall provide the victim with notice of the person’s application for a certificate of second chance and the victim’s rights under this section.

O. Notwithstanding section 13-910, if a conviction is set aside, the person’s right to possess a firearm is restored. This subsection does not apply to a person who was convicted of a serious offense as defined in section 13-706.

P. This section does not apply to a person who was convicted of any of the following:

1. A dangerous offense.

2. An offense for which the person is required or ordered by the court to register pursuant to section 13-3821.

3. An offense for which there has been a finding of sexual motivation pursuant to section 13-118.

4. A felony offense in which the victim is a minor under fifteen years of age.

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