Jennifer Maldonado

About Jennifer Maldonado

Jennifer Maldonado’s career in litigation spans across four decades, beginning as a law student prosecuting criminal cases through the Pima County Attorney’s Office in 1998. Since becoming a member of the Arizona bar in 1999, Jennifer has prosecuted criminal cases as a Deputy County Attorney at the Pima County Attorney’s Office, as an Assistant United States Attorney at the United State’s Attorney’s Office in Tucson, and now as a Deputy County Attorney at the Navajo County Attorney’s Office in Northern Arizona.  Jennifer has also worked as a private criminal defense trial lawyer at the Law Office of Jennifer Maldonado and as a civil litigator in a small boutique firm in Tucson. Jennifer has completed over 60 criminal jury trials, several hundred criminal bench trials, and countless evidentiary and legal hearings in a wide variety of criminal cases including DUI, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, alien smuggling, domestic violence offenses, and more.

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Education

• Law School: U of Arizona

Common questions about Criminal Defense in Arizona

Answered by Arizona Attorney Search Network

How long does a criminal case take in Arizona?

Misdemeanors typically resolve within 60-180 days from arraignment. Felonies most commonly take 6-18 months from filing to resolution; complex or multi-defendant cases can run 2 or more years. Defendants have speedy-trial rights under Rule 8 of the Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure: in custody felony cases must be tried within 150 days of arraignment, out-of-custody within 180 days, with limited extensions.

Do I have to talk to police if I'm arrested in Arizona?

No. The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article 2 § 10 of the Arizona Constitution protect your right to remain silent. Once you have invoked the right (clearly state 'I am invoking my right to remain silent and want a lawyer'), questioning must stop until counsel is present. You must still provide identifying information when lawfully arrested, but you are not required to discuss the alleged offense.

Can a criminal record be sealed in Arizona?

Yes, under ARS § 13-911 (effective January 2023), many Arizona criminal records can be sealed after a waiting period and full completion of the sentence. Class 1 misdemeanors and Class 4 felonies require a 5-year wait; Class 2 or 3 felonies require 10 years; certain violent and sexual offenses are not eligible. Sealed records are treated as if they never existed for most purposes, though law enforcement retains access.

Q&As answered by Jennifer Maldonado

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