A. Except as provided in section 13-705, a person who is at least eighteen years of age or who has been tried as an adult and who stands convicted of a felony that is a dangerous offense shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment as follows:

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Terms Used In Arizona Laws 13-704

  • Adult: means a person who has attained eighteen years of age. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • Historical prior felony conviction: means :

    (a) Any prior felony conviction for which the offense of conviction either:

    (i) Mandated a term of imprisonment except for a violation of chapter 34 of this title involving a drug below the threshold amount. 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.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • 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
  • Possession: means a voluntary act if the defendant knowingly exercised 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.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

Felony Minimum Presumptive Maximum

Class 2 7 years 10.5 years 21 years

Class 3 5 years 7.5 years 15 years

Class 4 4 years 6 years 8 years

Class 5 2 years 3 years 4 years

Class 6 1.5 years 2.25 years 3 years

B. Except as provided in section 13-705, a person who is convicted of a class 4, 5 or 6 felony that is a dangerous offense and who has one historical prior felony conviction involving a dangerous offense shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment as follows:

Felony Minimum Presumptive Maximum

Class 4 8 years 10 years 12 years

Class 5 4 years 5 years 6 years

Class 6 3 years 3.75 years 4.5 years

C. Except as provided in section 13-705 or section 13-706, subsection A, a person who is convicted of a class 4, 5 or 6 felony that is a dangerous offense and who has two or more historical prior felony convictions involving dangerous offenses shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment as follows:

Felony Minimum Presumptive Maximum

Class 4 12 years 14 years 16 years

Class 5 6 years 7 years 8 years

Class 6 4.5 years 5.25 years 6 years

D. Except as provided in section 13-705 or section 13-706, subsection A, a person who is convicted of a class 2 or 3 felony involving a dangerous offense and who has one historical prior felony conviction that is a class 1, 2 or 3 felony involving a dangerous offense shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment as follows:

Felony Minimum Presumptive Maximum

Class 2 14 years 15.75 years 28 years

Class 3 10 years 11.25 years 20 years

E. Except as provided in section 13-705 or section 13-706, subsection A, a person who is convicted of a class 2 or 3 felony involving a dangerous offense and who has two or more historical prior felony convictions that are class 1, 2 or 3 felonies involving dangerous offenses shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment as follows:

Felony Minimum Presumptive Maximum

Class 2 21 years 28 years 35 years

Class 3 15 years 20 years 25 years

F. A person who is convicted of two or more felony offenses that are dangerous offenses and that were not committed on the same occasion but that are consolidated for trial purposes or that are not historical prior felony convictions shall be sentenced, for the second or subsequent offense, pursuant to this subsection. For a person sentenced pursuant to this subsection, the minimum term prescribed shall be the presumptive term. If the court increases or decreases a sentence pursuant to this subsection, the court shall state on the record the reasons for the increase or decrease. The court shall inform all of the parties before the sentencing occurs of its intent to increase or decrease a sentence pursuant to this subsection. If the court fails to inform the parties, a party waives its right to be informed unless the party timely objects at the time of sentencing. The terms are as follows:

1. For the second dangerous offense:

Increased

Felony Minimum Maximum Maximum

Class 2 10.5 years 21 years 26.25 years

Class 3 7.5 years 15 years 18.75 years

Class 4 6 years 8 years 10 years

Class 5 3 years 4 years 5 years

Class 6 2.25 years 3 years 3.75 years

2. For any dangerous offense subsequent to the second dangerous felony offense:

Increased

Felony Minimum Maximum Maximum

Class 2 15.75 years 28 years 35 years

Class 3 11.25 years 20 years 25 years

Class 4 10 years 12 years 15 years

Class 5 5 years 6 years 7.5 years

Class 6 3.75 years 4.5 years 5.6 years

G. A person who is sentenced pursuant to subsection A, B, C, D, E or F of this section is not eligible for suspension of sentence, probation, pardon or release from confinement on any basis, except as specifically authorized by section 31-233, subsection A or B, until the sentence imposed by the court has been served, the person is eligible for release pursuant to Section 41-1604.07 or the sentence is commuted.

H. The presumptive term authorized by this section may be mitigated or aggravated pursuant to the terms of section 13-701, subsections C, D and E.

I. For the purposes of determining the applicability of the penalties provided in subsection A, D or E of this section for second or subsequent class 2 or 3 felonies, the conviction for any felony committed before October 1, 1978 that, if committed after October 1, 1978, could be a dangerous offense under subsection A, D or E of this section may be designated by the state as a prior felony.

J. Convictions for two or more offenses committed on the same occasion shall be counted as only one conviction for the purposes of subsection A, B, C, D or E of this section.

K. A person who has been convicted in any court outside the jurisdiction of this state of an offense that was punishable by that jurisdiction as a felony is subject to subsection A, B, C, D or E of this section.  A person who has been convicted of an offense punishable as a felony under the provisions of any prior code in this state or the jurisdiction in which the offense was committed is subject to subsection A, B, C, D or E of this section. A person who has been convicted of a felony weapons possession violation in any court outside the jurisdiction of this state that would not be punishable as a felony under the laws of this state is not subject to this section.

L. The penalties prescribed by this section shall be substituted for the penalties otherwise authorized by law if an allegation of prior conviction is charged in the indictment or information and admitted or found by the court or if an allegation of dangerous offense is charged in the indictment or information and admitted or found by the trier of fact. The release provisions prescribed by this section shall not be substituted for any penalties required by the substantive offense or provision of law that specifies a later release or completion of the sentence imposed before release. The court shall allow the allegation of a prior conviction or the allegation of a dangerous offense at any time before the date the case is actually tried unless the allegation is filed fewer than twenty days before the case is actually tried and the court finds on the record that the defendant was in fact prejudiced by the untimely filing and states the reasons for these findings. If the allegation of a prior conviction is filed, the state must make available to the defendant a copy of any material or information obtained concerning the prior conviction. The charge of prior conviction shall not be read to the jury. For the purposes of this subsection, "substantive offense" means the felony that the trier of fact found beyond a reasonable doubt the defendant committed. Substantive offense does not include allegations that, if proven, would enhance the sentence of imprisonment or fine to which the defendant otherwise would be subject.

M. Except as provided in section 13-705 or 13-751, if the victim is an unborn child in the womb at any stage of its development, the defendant shall be sentenced pursuant to this section.