What is the punishment for child non-support in Arizona?
Full Question:
My dad is not ready to provide child support to me. I am just 15 years old and solely dependent on my parents. In Arizona, is there any law that punishes parents for not paying child support to their minor kids?
03/09/2017 |
Category: Minors ยป Child Support |
State: Arizona |
#33640
Answer:
A.R.S. § 25-511 reads:
“Failure of parent to provide for child; classification
A. Except as provided in section 25-501, subsection F, any parent of a minor child who knowingly fails to furnish reasonable support for the parent's child is guilty of a class 6 felony.
B. It is an affirmative defense to a charge of a violation of subsection A of this section that the defendant has complied with a valid court order that was in effect for the time period charged and that set forth an amount of support for the minor child or was unable to furnish reasonable support. Inability to furnish reasonable support is not a defense if the defendant voluntarily remained idle, voluntarily decreased his income or voluntarily incurred other financial obligations.”
A.R.S. § 13-702 says:
“First time felony offenders; sentencing; definition
A. Unless a specific sentence is otherwise provided, the term of imprisonment for a first felony offense shall be the presumptive sentence determined pursuant to subsection D of this section. Except for those felonies involving a dangerous offense or if a specific sentence is otherwise provided, the court may increase or reduce the presumptive sentence within the ranges set by subsection D of this section. Any reduction or increase shall be based on the aggravating and mitigating circumstances listed in section 13-701, subsections D and E and shall be within the ranges prescribed in subsection D of this section.
B. If a person is convicted of a felony without having previously been convicted of any felony and if at least two of the aggravating factors listed in section 13-701, subsection D apply, the court may increase the maximum term of imprisonment otherwise authorized for that offense to an aggravated term. If a person is convicted of a felony without having previously been convicted of any felony and if the court finds at least two mitigating factors listed in section 13-701, subsection E apply, the court may decrease the minimum term of imprisonment otherwise authorized for that offense to a mitigated term.
C. The aggravated or mitigated term imposed pursuant to subsection D of this section may be imposed only if at least two of the aggravating circumstances are found beyond a reasonable doubt to be true by the trier of fact or are admitted by the defendant, except that an aggravating circumstance under section 13-701, subsection D, paragraph 11 shall be found to be true by the court, or in mitigation of the crime are found to be true by the court, on any evidence or information introduced or submitted to the court or the trier of fact before sentencing or any evidence presented at trial, and factual findings and reasons in support of these findings are set forth on the record at the time of sentencing.
D. The term of imprisonment for a presumptive, minimum, maximum, mitigated or aggravated sentence shall be within the range prescribed under this subsection. The terms are as follows:
Click here to view image.
E. The court shall inform all of the parties before sentencing occurs of its intent to increase or decrease a sentence to the aggravated or mitigated sentence pursuant this section. If the court fails to inform the parties, a party waives its right to be informed unless the party timely objects at the time of sentencing.
F. For the purposes of this section, "trier of fact" means a jury, unless the defendant and the state waive a jury in which case the trier of fact means the court.”
