Automatic Rights Restoration in Arizona
What is automatic rights restoration?
One of the most well-known consequences of a felony conviction is that you lose certain civil rights which can have a severe impact on your life. Those impacts stretch far beyond just your rights too. You can read more about that by clicking on this link. Fortunately, though, ARS § 13-910 allows for a first time felon to have certain civil rights automatically restored.
What rights can be automatically restored?
Automatic rights restoration restores the following rights
- The right to vote.
- The right to hold public office.
- The right to serve as a juror.
What about gun rights?
No, ARS § 13-907 specifically says that the right to possess firearms is never automatically restored even though you get your other rights back. Restoring your gun rights requires you to go through the standard rights restoration process. This is critical to understand because violating it can open you up to harsh legal consequences. There are people in Arizona prisons today because they simply misunderstood this and believed they could carry a gun. Do you want to- get your gun rights restored? Contact us today so we can help you through the process.
If I'm eligible, when will my rights be automatically restored?
Arizona law requires that you complete all the terms of your sentence before your rights are restored. This includes prison time, probation, fines, and court ordered restitution. ARS § 13-906 requires the that the court notifies the Arizona Department of Public Safety who then is required to update your record. There are times when this doesn’t happen though. Be sure to verify whether you’ve been granted your rights or not as we have seen clients who were not granted automatic rights restoration like they should have been.
I'm unsure if my rights were restored yet. Can you help me figure that out?
The legal system is complex and intimidating to many people. If you’re unsure whether you were granted your rights or you need any help, we’ll be happy to schedule you a consultation so you can meet with a rights restoration attorney who can help. Contact us today to get scheduled.
About the author:
As a manager at AZ Rights Restoration, John Furman is a strong supporter or the individual freedoms and liberties the Constitution guarantees.
