Arizona § 13-205 Affirmative defenses; justification; burden of proof

Arizona Statutes

§ 13-205 — Affirmative defenses; justification; burden of proof

Arizona § 13-205

Title 13Arizona Revised Statutes

Ch. 2GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL LIABILITY

This text of Arizona § 13-205 (Affirmative defenses; justification; burden of proof) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-205 (2026).

Text

A.Except as otherwise provided by law, a defendant shall prove any affirmative defense raised by a preponderance of the evidence. Justification defenses under chapter 4 of this title are not affirmative defenses. Justification defenses describe conduct that, if not justified, would constitute an offense but, if justified, does not constitute criminal or wrongful conduct. If evidence of justification pursuant to chapter 4 of this title is presented by the defendant, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act with justification.

B.This section does not affect the presumption contained in section 13-411, subsection C and section 13-503.

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A. Except as otherwise provided by law, a defendant shall prove any affirmative defense raised by a preponderance of the evidence. Justification defenses under chapter 4 of this title are not affirmative defenses. Justification defenses describe conduct that, if not justified, would constitute an offense but, if justified, does not constitute criminal or wrongful conduct. If evidence of justification pursuant to chapter 4 of this title is presented by the defendant, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act with justification.

B. This section does not affect the presumption contained in section 13-411, subsection C and section 13-503.