KEY TAKEAWAYS
Arizona sorts crimes into six felony classes and three misdemeanor classes, and that single distinction drives everything from jail time and fines to whether a conviction follows you for life. A misdemeanor tops out at six months in jail, while even the lowest felony can mean prison, lost gun rights, and lasting barriers to work and housing. Because some charges can be reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor, the class listed on your paperwork is a starting point, not a sentence.
Getting arrested is frightening, but the first question that decides how serious your situation really is comes down to one word on the charging document: whether the offense is a misdemeanor or a felony in Arizona. That label sets the ceiling on your punishment, shapes which court you appear in, and determines how long the consequences last. Understanding where your charge falls, and whether it can move, is the foundation of every strong defense.
The criminal defense attorneys at Griffen & Stevens Law Firm, PLLC handle the full range of these cases across Northern Arizona, from low-level misdemeanors in the Flagstaff justice courts to serious felonies in Coconino County Superior Court. Knowing how the classes work helps you understand what you are up against.
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Is My Charge a Misdemeanor or a Felony in Arizona?
The quickest way to tell is by the potential punishment. In Arizona, a misdemeanor is an offense that carries a maximum of six months or less in jail, while a felony is a more serious crime punishable by a year or more in state prison. Misdemeanors are handled in municipal and justice courts, and any time is served in county jail; felonies are prosecuted in superior court and can send a person to the Arizona Department of Corrections. Below misdemeanors sit petty offenses and civil violations, such as most speeding tickets, which carry fines but no jail time.
The Three Misdemeanor Classes
Misdemeanors are divided into three classes, from most to least serious:
- Class 1 misdemeanor. This is the most serious, punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Examples include DUI, assault, and many first-time theft and shoplifting charges.
- Class 2 misdemeanor. This misdemeanor class is punishable by up to four months in jail and a fine of up to $750.
- Class 3 misdemeanor. This is the least serious, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.
Every misdemeanor also allows for probation and restitution, and a conviction still creates a criminal record that can appear on background checks.
The Six Felony Classes
Felonies run from Class 1, the most serious, down to Class 6, the least serious:
- Class 1 felony. This felony class is reserved for first- and second-degree murder, carrying life in prison or, in the most extreme cases, the death penalty.
- Class 2 through Class 5 felonies. These classes cover crimes such as robbery, many drug-sale offenses, and aggravated assault sentencing, with prison exposure that falls as the class number rises.
- Class 6 felony. This felony class is the least severe, often eligible for probation, and in some cases able to be reduced to a misdemeanor.
For a first offense that is not classified as "dangerous," the presumptive prison terms under Arizona law are roughly five years for a Class 2, three and a half years for a Class 3, two and a half years for a Class 4, one and a half years for a Class 5, and one year for a Class 6. Prior convictions, dangerous-offense allegations, and aggravating factors can push those numbers far higher.
How Charge Class Affects Sentencing, Fines, and Probation
The class does more than set a maximum. It also shapes whether a defendant is likely to see prison or probation instead of jail or prison, how large a fine they face (felony fines can reach $150,000, far above the misdemeanor caps), and how long any supervision lasts. Many first-time, non-dangerous felony offenders are eligible for probation rather than incarceration, but that is never automatic; it depends on the charge, the person's record, and the strength of the defense.
Can a Felony Be Reduced to a Misdemeanor?
Sometimes, yes. Arizona treats certain Class 6 felonies as "wobblers," meaning a judge has discretion to designate or reduce them to a Class 1 misdemeanor. Whether a charge can be reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor often hinges on mitigating factors like a clean record, genuine remorse, or completion of treatment. That single reclassification can be the difference between a background check that ends a job offer and one that does not, which is why the class on the initial paperwork is only a starting point.
Why the Felony Line Matters for Your Future
A misdemeanor conviction is serious, but a felony reaches further. Beyond prison, an Arizona felony conviction can strip the right to own a firearm, suspend the right to vote until a sentence is complete, trigger immigration consequences for non-citizens, and create lasting obstacles to employment, professional licensing, and housing. The stakes climb steeply with the class of the offense, whether the case involves a domestic violence charge in Arizona, Arizona drug offense penalties, or another category of crime.
What to Know When You Are Facing Charges in Northern Arizona
Because the charge class drives everything that follows, the earliest decisions in a case matter most. Whether the question is getting released on bond after an arrest or finding experienced Flagstaff criminal defense representation, understanding how prosecutors classified an offense, and where there may be room to challenge or reduce it, puts a person in a far stronger position. The full penalty framework appears in the Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 13, the state's criminal code.