Arizona Judicial Branch Post-Conviction Relief Information Sheet (Arizona)

This Arizona Judicial Branch Self-Service Center page explains how to ask a court to vacate or modify a judgment of conviction or reduce a sentence. It states that the process is governed by Rules 32 and 33 of the Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure: defendants convicted and sentenced after a trial or a contested probation violation hearing use Rule 32, while defendants who pled guilty or no contest, admitted a probation violation, or had an automatic probation violation based on a plea use Rule 33. A proceeding begins with a Notice Requesting Post-Conviction Relief, form AOCCR41FORM24B, filed in the trial court that imposed the judgment or sentence; the notice can include a request for a court-appointed attorney. A Petition for Post-Conviction Relief, form AOCCR41FORM25, follows and must include supporting facts and a legal memorandum. The page warns that missing the Rule 32 or 33 time limits can be a basis for denying relief and that unraised grounds may be precluded later.