Joint Comment by Maricopa Indigent Defense Offices
620 W. Jackson, Suite 4015, Phoenix, AZ 85003
(602) 506-7711
[email protected]
AZ State Bar #025997

Alice Jones
Deputy Solicitor General/Chief Counsel Criminal Appeals Section
State Bar Number 028062
Submitting comment on behalf of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office
Firm State Bar Number 14000
2005 N. Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85004
[email protected]
602-542-8587

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office supports this petition. The petition would correct a seeming incongruity created by the stylistic changes to the Rules of Criminal Procedure following the adoption of petition R–17–0002. Under the former version of the Rules, a defendant could file a motion for reconsideration following a “final decision” of the court; however, the current version of the Rules would appear to limit a defendant’s ability to file a motion for reconsideration following a “final decision on a petition” only. But, as the rule change petition notes, the purpose of petition R–17–0002 was to restyle and clarify the language of the Rules of Criminal Procedure, not work any substantive change. Amending Rules 32.14 and 33.14 as proposed thus affirms that the stylistic change did not work any substantive change to the Rules of Criminal Procedure and would avoid confusion based on the language in the current Rules.

Comment of the State Bar of Arizona

Lisa M. Panahi
Bar No. 023421
General Counsel
State Bar of Arizona
4201 N. 24th St., Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-340-7236
[email protected]