The client carried a 2013 Extreme DUI conviction out of Mesa. Future First filed an application to set aside under ARS § 13-905 and the Mesa Municipal Court granted the set aside with a Certificate of Second Chance.
At a glance
| Original conviction | Extreme DUI .15 Or Above (ARS § 28-1382(A)(1)), Class 1 Misdemeanor, 2013 |
| Application filed | Set Aside under ARS § 13-905, 2025 |
| Court | Mesa Municipal Court |
| Result | Set Aside Granted With Certificate Of Second Chance |
| Rights restored | N/A (misdemeanor conviction) |
| Time from application to grant | 7 days from application filing to granted |
The challenge
The client pled guilty to Extreme DUI .15 or above in 2013, a Class 1 Misdemeanor under ARS § 28-1382(A)(1). The conviction sat on his record for more than a decade. He works in a field that serves vulnerable populations and submits to frequent background checks. Every check pulled the old DUI to the top, raising questions he had to answer over and over.
He also hopes to pursue U.S. citizenship. A visible criminal conviction complicates immigration timelines and discretionary decisions. Without a set aside, the judgment of guilt stayed live on every search a future employer or immigration officer ran.
What we did
Future First reviewed the file, confirmed sentence compliance, and built the application to set aside under ARS § 13-905. The application laid out the full picture for the judge: judgment imposed in 2013, all sentence terms completed, no other convictions before or since, more than a decade of clean conduct, and steady employment in a role serving children with special needs.
Future First also asked the court for a Certificate of Second Chance under ARS § 13-905(K). That certificate releases the applicant from many of the occupational and housing barriers that survive a set aside on its own. Future First requested a hearing only if the court was leaning toward denial.
The Mesa Municipal Court granted the set aside and granted the Certificate of Second Chance. The application moved from filing to signed order in seven days.
What our clients say
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If you have an old conviction in Arizona
Arizona lets most people apply to set aside a misdemeanor conviction once the sentence is fully complete. The set aside removes the judgment of guilt, dismisses the complaint, and releases you from the penalties and disabilities tied to the conviction. A Department of Transportation hold on certain Title 28 items survives the set aside, but the criminal judgment itself goes away.
A Certificate of Second Chance is a separate ask under ARS § 13-905(K). It expands the relief beyond the set aside: it releases you from barriers on occupational licenses under Title 32 and gives employers and housing providers statutory protections when they consider you. Asking for both in the same application costs nothing extra and adds real weight at the next background check.
Timing varies by court. Mesa moves quickly when the application is clean and sentence compliance is documented. Other courts run longer. The cleaner the package, the faster the judge can rule.
Related resources
Call us
Want to clear your record in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-900-6240 or request a free consultation. We have handled hundreds of Arizona record removal applications across every statute path. The cleanup is permanent and the process moves faster when handled by a firm that knows the local court.
Anonymized in line with firm policy. Client name not used. Specific dates approximated to year only. Outcome described reflects this client’s actual results. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. For more detailed information on Arizona record removal law, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.
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