The client carried felony burglary and trafficking convictions from 2004 for more than two decades. Future First won a Coconino Set Aside Burglary and trafficking order that set aside both judgments, restored firearm rights, and added a Certificate of Second Chance.
At a glance
| Original conviction | Burglary in the Third Degree (ARS § 13-1506), a Class 4 felony, and Trafficking in Stolen Property First Degree (ARS § 13-2307), a Class 2 felony, 2004 |
| Application filed | Set aside under ARS § 13-905, with firearm rights restoration under ARS § 13-910, 2025 |
| Court | Coconino County Superior Court |
| Result | Judgments of guilt set aside, Certificate of Second Chance issued, firearm rights restored |
| Rights restored | Civil rights and firearm rights |
| Time from application to grant | 481 days from application filing to granted |
The challenge
The client picked up these cases as a teenager in the late 1990s and resolved them by plea in 2004. He completed his jail term, finished probation, and paid every fine. Then he spent more than twenty years building a clean life. The record did not care. A Class 2 felony trafficking conviction and a Class 4 felony burglary conviction showed on every background check, blocked professional licensing paths, and stripped his civil rights, including the right to possess a firearm.
Old felonies do not expire on their own in Arizona. Without court action, a 2004 conviction follows you in 2026 the same way it did the day it was entered. Employers and landlords see the charge names, not the twenty years of lawful conduct that came after.
What we did
Future First filed an application to set aside the convictions under ARS § 13-905, paired with a request to restore firearm rights under ARS § 13-910. The State opposed the application in writing. Future First answered with a reply brief that laid out the client’s full sentence compliance, the decades of clean history since, and the statutory factors that favor relief.
The Coconino Set Aside Burglary and trafficking order came back granted. The court found the client met every statutory requirement, set aside the judgments of guilt, dismissed the underlying charging documents, released the client from the penalties and disabilities of the convictions, restored his right to possess a firearm, and issued a Certificate of Second Chance under ARS § 13-905(M). The certificate removes barriers to occupational licensing and gives employers and landlords statutory protections for working with him.
The same effort cleared two related cases from the same era. The court also granted a separate sealing application on this case, so the records no longer appear on standard background checks.
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If you have an old conviction in Arizona
A set aside under ARS § 13-905 does not erase a conviction, but it changes its legal meaning. The judgment of guilt is vacated, the charges are dismissed, and the record is updated to show the case was set aside. For many felony convictions the court restores civil rights at the same time, and ARS § 13-910 gives a path to restore firearm rights.
Timing matters less than compliance. Courts look at whether you finished every term of the sentence, how long you have stayed out of trouble, and what you have done since. A conviction from the 1990s or 2000s with a clean record after is a strong candidate, even when the State objects.
The Coconino Set Aside Burglary result shows the process works on serious felony classes, not only minor cases. A Class 2 felony is among the most serious non-dangerous levels in Arizona law, and the court still granted full relief.
Related resources
Call us
Want to clear your record in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-900-7625 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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