Bill > HB2520

This bill modifies Arizona's legal statute on duress by clarifying and expanding the circumstances under which a person can claim duress as a legal defense. Specifically, the bill updates the language to specify that a person's conduct may be justified if a reasonable person would believe they were compelled to engage in an otherwise criminal act by an immediate threat of physical force that could result in serious physical injury. The bill introduces two key limitations to the duress defense: first, if the person intentionally or recklessly placed themselves in a situation where duress was likely, the defense is not available; and second, the defense is explicitly unavailable for certain serious offenses, including homicide, causing serious physical injury, and specific violations related to sexual offenses, child abuse, and other specified criminal chapters. The changes aim to provide more precise legal guidance about when duress can be used as a justification for criminal conduct, balancing the need to protect individuals under genuine threat with preventing misuse of the defense in severe criminal cases.

Justice

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/82334