What Civil Rights are Taken Away with a Felony Conviction?

In Arizona, there are three main civil rights that are taken away from an individual upon a felony conviction. (1) the right to possess a deadly weapon or firearm, (2) the right to vote and (3) the right hold public office. Once a person is convicted of a felony in Arizona, these rights are automatically stripped and are not restored unless applied for through petitioning the court, or through Arizona’s automatic restoration of rights statute for some first-time felony offenders. While most everyone who is convicted of a felony in Arizona will be eligible to have their right to vote and hold public office restored, there are quite a few statutory restrictions on who may have their right to possess a firearm restored.

Possessing a firearm when your rights have been stripped and not restored can likely result in a felony conviction and prison time, even if you didn’t know your rights were not restored. It is important to understand where you stand in the eyes of the law. Also, it is important to remember that Arizona’s prohibited possessor statute doesn’t only apply to firearms. If your right to possess a firearm has been taken away, you may be prohibited from possessing any deadly weapon that is designed for deadly use.

If you need help looking up your court information or to petition the court to restore your rights, you can contact me at our office (480) 498-8998 or through the Contact Me page on this site.