What happens when a homicide case is filed?
A homicide accusation calls for careful attention to the exact charge and the stage of the proceedings. I begin with the charging document, any court orders and the next scheduled hearing. The Arizona courts explain how a criminal case may move through initial proceedings, arraignment and trial, but the path depends on the particular case.
I will not assess a homicide case from a headline or a short account alone. Once hired, I obtain the police reports and discovery and examine what the state is relying on. That review helps identify the factual questions, the legal issues and the additional work needed before advice about the available options can be meaningful.
Arizona Judicial Branch: criminal case processChris's confirmed client inputs, October 22, 2026
How do first and second degree murder allegations differ?
Arizona addresses first degree murder in A.R.S. § 13-1105 and second degree murder in A.R.S. § 13-1104. The provisions do not use identical requirements. Premeditation is part of one first degree provision, while the first degree statute also includes other listed circumstances. A second degree allegation must be examined under its own language.
I review the particular theory stated in the case and the evidence offered for it. The reported conduct, claimed mental state and surrounding circumstances all require attention. This page is not a substitute for that analysis. I explain the applicable statute in relation to your actual charge rather than use a broad label to predict what follows.
A.R.S. § 13-1105: first degree murderA.R.S. § 13-1104: second degree murder
How I approach a homicide defense
I work through the discovery, compare the accounts and look for issues that need investigation. I conduct interviews and consider motions where legal questions should be raised with the court. I want to understand what a piece of evidence shows, how it fits with other material and what it leaves unresolved.
Defenses and mitigation are part of that work. I discuss the prosecution's position and any available resolution while explaining the decision about trial. You should be able to ask about the reasoning behind my advice. I take time with those conversations and will be truthful about uncertainty rather than offer a prediction about the result.
Chris's confirmed client inputs, October 22, 2026Arizona Judicial Branch: criminal case process
What information needs close attention?
The evidence about what happened, the sequence of events and the allegation concerning intent or knowledge must be considered together. I examine the charge under the relevant statute and review how the discovery supports or challenges the account. An unanswered question needs investigation, not an assumption about what it means.
Your first call may come while you are under investigation, after release, or through a parent seeking help. Tell me where the matter stands. I explain what I can address in that conversation and what requires discovery. If I am in court, my assistant gets the message to me and I call back within a day.
A.R.S. § 13-1105: first degree murderA.R.S. § 13-1104: second degree murderChris's confirmed client inputs, October 22, 2026
General information only. This practice-page draft requires Chris's review before publication.
