Falsely accused of a sex crime in Arizona


It isn’t unusual for someone to be falsely accused of a [sex crime](https://azblumberglaw.com/phoenix-criminal-attorney/sex-crimes/) in today’s society. A child caught in a divorce and angry at one parent might lash out by falsely accusing the other parent. An angry spouse involved in a contentious child custody suit might accuse the other spouse of sexual abuse to keep custody of the child. Whatever the circumstances, the first step is in understanding that this is an extremely serious accusation. The consequences can be life shattering. Possible outcomes include:

- Time in jail or prison

- Placed on probation for an extended period, or for life

- Required to register as a sex offender

- Loss of employment, professional licenses, custody of children

- Face a civil law suit for damages

If you are arrested, do not answer any questions without an attorney present. Remember, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. Remember that if you demand an attorney, but cannot afford one, the police cannot continue to question you if you want to use a court appointed attorney. If you do have the funds, you should immediately hire a reputable attorney, with years of experience defending against these types of accusations. An attorney can quickly begin providing you with advice and direction. If you haven’t been arrested, leave immediately and refuse to answer questions then consult with an attorney as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, these kinds of cases are expensive, especially if you face a criminal or violent charge. Begin gathering the money you will need to pay for your defense as soon as possible.

Take the time to learn about the accusations against you and why your defense team may suggest certain measures.

No matter what the situation is, your first step should be to immediately hire an attorney who can help guide you through the difficult process of defending yourself against these charges.


If you find yourself in a situation where you are falsely accused of a sex crime in Arizona, it is important to understand the possible consequences. Learn about the possible outcomes and how to protect yourself from them here.

What to do if you are Falsely Accused of a Sex Crime in Arizona


Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the process necessary to legally end a marriage. [Divorce ](https://azblumberglaw.com/phoenix-family-attorney/divorce/)proceedings may take into account how assets, property and debt may be split, as well as how the custody of children will be handled.

## Where do I get a divorce in Arizona?

Only the Superior Court in Arizona can end a marriage.  There is generally one superior court per county in Arizona. The case must be started in the county where you live.

## How do I start a divorce case in Arizona?

Hire an attorney to help you through the complicated process of creating and filing all the paperwork necessary.  The attorney will  file the initial petition paperwork, which varies from county to county in the state of Arizona, as do the filing fees.

Unlike other states, Arizona does not require one of the spouses to prove blame or responsibility to end the marriage. The only question the state of Arizona is concerned with is if the marriage is irretrievably broken — that there is no chance the spouses can keep the marriage together.

## When can I file for divorce in Arizona?

You must have been a resident of Arizona for at least 90 days (or a member of the armed forces stationed here in Arizona for at least 90 days) before you can file for a divorce.

## Do I have to disclose my financial situation during a divorce?

In order to divide the assets acquired during the marriage, each party is required to file an Affidavit of Financial Information. The document requires you (and your spouse) to detail your financial situation, including employment, assets, liabilities, monthly expenses and so on. You may be required to submit documents like pay stubs and tax returns

## How long do I have to wait to get a divorce in Arizona?

Under state law (section 25-329, Arizona Revised  Statutes), a divorce cannot be granted by the court for at least 60 days after the first court papers are delivered to the other spouse. If both parties agree to the terms of the divorce, it can be finalized after the 60 day waiting period.

## What if both parties don’t agree to the terms of the divorce?

If you can’t agree to the terms of the divorce with your spouse, then litigation will begin. You are entitled to request certain documents, hearings before the judge, depose witnesses, hire expert witnesses and eventually take the case to trial. At this stage, an experienced attorney is extremely important to litigate the case.

## When do I know I am legally divorced in Arizona?

You will receive a divorce decree, which is the final order of the court legally ending the marriage. The Decree must be signed by the judge.


Are you considering filing for divorce in Arizona? Here is everything you need to know about the process and what to expect.

How to File for Divorce in Arizona


Only a few years ago, search engines like Google, Bing, and others remained neutral on the issue of [child porn](https://azblumberglaw.com/phoenix-criminal-attorney/child-pornography/) and child abuse, not really taking an active hand in blocking it. Google had previously gone as far as creating a database where law enforcement, charities, organizations and citizens could add details or locations of abuse imagery, which it would then hide or remove from search results. But in the last year, all the big search engines have changed their approach to child abuse, child porn and other [sex crimes](https://azblumberglaw.com/phoenix-criminal-attorney/sex-crimes/) crimes because they hope to help make a difference in fighting these crimes. In particular, Google and the other search engines now block illegal content, both online and in their email programming.

Search engines track user behavior in order to tailor advertising to a user’s particular taste based on your search history. As a consequence, that allows companies like Google to monitor both online surfing and email looking for offenders.  They also act upon notifications from citizens about offending content including child porn, bestiality, fetishism and more. In November 2013, Google began installing measures to block over 100,000 online search results linked to child abuse worldwide.

When a search engine company discovers offending material, their first step is to notify the proper authorities. Then they remove or block the offending material within 24 hours of the notification.

In August 2014, Google’s precautions took a big step forward. A Houston restaurant worker, John Henry Skillern, age 41, was arrested following a cyber-tip Google passed along to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Google has promised that once its protection software is honed, it will share it with other internet companies and child protection organizations.

Microsoft, in a strong team effort, is working closely with Google and says its Bing search will also strive to produce clean results for its users.


Search engines like google, bing, and more are taking a more proactive approach to identifying and reporting child porn and abuse online.

Search Engines are Watching for Child Porn and Child Abuse

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After a [sex offender](https://azblumberglaw.com/phoenix-criminal-attorney/sex-offender-registration/) is released from jail or prison, he or she may remain under supervision (probation) depending on the nature of the crime. If the offender is under supervision, he or she must register with the country sheriff’s office in the community he or she is relocating to within 72 hours of release. Sex offenders may be supervised in their day-to-day activities in order to protect their victims, vulnerable people and the general public. Sex offenders have other rules and regulations to follow.

## Here are some of the rules and regulations sex offender must abide by:

- The offender must remain available for contact as directed by his or her probation officer.

- The offender must remain within specified geographic boundaries.

- The probation officer must approve the sex offender’s residence and living arrangements. Generally, the address is reviewed to assess potential risks to the community. Depending on the crime, the neighborhood may be notified of the offender’s presence.  Also, depending on the crime, offenders may not be permitted to live near schools, child care facilities or parks where children play.

- All parts of the offender’s residence will be inspected regularly.

- The offender cannot relocate without permission.

- The offender may or may not be allowed access to a personal computer depending on the nature of his or her crime. If a computer is allowed, it may have blocks installed to prevent access to specific types of sites or information.

- Offenders may not own or have in their possession any magazines, videos, telephones or anything else with pornographic content, nor can they patronize any establishment in the sex industry.

- Offenders are not allowed to be in possession of any drugs, alcohol or mood altering substances unless they have been prescribed by a doctor.

- Offenders may or may not be allowed contact of any kind with past or potential victims, including family members. That is an issue the court will decide.

- Offenders must submit to regular urine, breathalyzer or DNA testing.

- Offenders may not own, use or possess firearms or ammunition.

- Offenders must register with the county sheriff’s office if they are visiting or vacationing from another state for more than 10 days.

- Offenders are required to obtain a special driver’s license from the DMV each year.

## **Offenders can expect help from the state of Arizona for the following:**

- Sexual deviancy counseling from state-certified counselors.

- Chemical dependency treatment and counseling through organizations like AA and others.

- Education, work and community service are encouraged, but with review and management of any potential risk.


After a sex offender is released from jail or prison in Arizona, they may be subject to various rules and regulations depending on the nature of the crime. In this article, you will learn about the key rules that sex offenders must follow upon their release.

Rules Arizona Sex Offenders Must Follow Upon Release From Jail or Prison.


An [order of protection](https://azblumberglaw.com/phoenix-family-attorney/orders-of-protection/) is issued by the court to limit the behavior of someone who harms or threatens to harm you.  You may apply for an order of protection if the defendant is connected to you in an intimate manner. For instance, the defendant must be your spouse or former spouse, roommate or former roommate, father or mother of your child or unborn child, a person you were formerly involved with on a romantic or sexual basis, a family member such as a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, etc. or your spouse’s family member.

In order to apply for an order of protection, the defendant has either committed or is about to commit any of the following:

## Any of the following acts in which the defendant:

- endangers;

- threatens or intimidates;

- assaults, including use of a dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily harm;

- kidnaps or unlawfully imprisons;

- interferes with the custody of a child unlawfully;

- criminally trespasses or criminally damages; disorderly conduct or stalks;

- abuses a child or vulnerable adult;

- interferes with judicial proceedings;

- uses a telephone to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy, or offend;

- harasses

In Arizona, orders of protection in the area of family law generally take one of two forms.

## **Domestic Violence Order of Protection**

This is the most commonly requested order of protection. It is a civil order from the court telling the person who has threatened or assaulted you not to threaten or hurt you, enter your residence, or even to leave your shared residence. In addition, the order can require the respondent to seek out counseling.

## **Injunction Against Harassment**

This offers broader protection than a domestic violence protection order. The abuser can be ordered not to have any contact with you by phone, at home, work or almost anywhere you ask the court to put in the order. The abuser may be ordered to vacate the home or residence. In short, the judge has the power under the law to order anything else that will help protect you as long as you agree to it.

## **What if someone violates an order of protection?**

If the abuser or harasser violates the order or protection, you can call the police. The offender may be arrested or charged with violating the court order.

An [Phoenix Sex Crimes Lawyer](https://azblumberglaw.com/phoenix-criminal-attorney/sex-crimes/) with years of experience in this area of law can be a great help in filing for orders of protection.


Discover the different types of orders of protection available in Arizona and learn what qualifies as grounds for issuing one. Get a better understanding of this important legal tool that can help protect you from harm.

What is an Order of Protection in Arizona?

Read about recent Arizona court rulings, and learns ways to protects yourself from the law.

Arizona Legal Insights Blog

What to do if you are Falsely Accused of a Sex Crime in Arizona

How to File for Divorce in Arizona

Search Engines are Watching for Child Porn and Child Abuse

Rules Arizona Sex Offenders Must Follow Upon Release From Jail or Prison.

What is an Order of Protection in Arizona?