ARS 13-1809: Jurisdiction
The complete text of A.R.S. § 13-1809 on jurisdiction, and how this section is used in Arizona criminal cases. It defines terms and procedure rather than creating an offense.
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Full Text of A.R.S. § 13-1809
A.R.S. § 13-1809 is the Arizona statute on jurisdiction. It sets out procedure and rules rather than defining an offense, so no offense class or sentence attaches to this section on its own.
A. The county attorney may prosecute any violation of section 13-1807. If the defendant is alleged to have committed multiple violations of section 13-1807 within the same county, the county attorney may file a complaint charging all of the violations that have not previously been filed in the justice of the peace precinct in which the greatest number of violations are alleged to have occurred.
B. A person who is charged with an offense under this chapter may make restitution for the bad checks. Before a conviction, restitution shall be made through the prosecutor’s office if collection and processing were initiated through that office. Restitution shall include at a minimum the face amount of the check. The fact that restitution to the party injured is made and that any costs of filing with the county attorney are paid is a mitigating factor in any imposition of punishment for any violation of this chapter. On sentencing, the court may require any person convicted under this chapter to make restitution in an amount not to exceed twice the amount of the dishonored check or $50, whichever is greater, together with all applicable costs and fees. This is in addition to any other punishment imposed under this chapter.
C. A county attorney may collect a fee if the county attorney’s office collects and processes a check if the check is issued or passed in a manner that makes the issuance or passing an offense under section 13-1802, 13-1807 or 13-2310 or has been forged under section 13-2002.
D. The county attorney may collect the fee from any person who is a party to an offense described in this section.
E. The amount of the fee for each check shall not exceed:
1. $75 if the face amount of the check does not exceed $100.
2. $100 if the face amount of the check is greater than $100 but does not exceed $300.
3. $125 if the face amount of the check is greater than $300 but does not exceed $1,000.
4. Twenty percent of the face amount of the check if the check is greater than $1,000.
F. If the person from whom the fee is collected was a party to the offense of forgery under section 13-2002 and the offense was committed by altering the face amount of the check, the face amount as altered governs for the purpose of determining the amount of the fee prescribed in subsection E of this section.
Source: Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-1809, Arizona Legislative Council revision of 09/19/25. Read the official text on azleg.gov. Statutes change; verify the current version before relying on it.
Related Statutes in Chapter 18 — Theft
- A.R.S. § 13-1807 — Issuing a bad check
- A.R.S. § 13-1806 — Unlawful failure to return rented or leased property
- A.R.S. § 13-1805 — Shoplifting
- A.R.S. § 13-1813 — Gift card theft
- A.R.S. § 13-1804 — Theft by extortion
- A.R.S. § 13-1814 — Theft of means of transportation
- A.R.S. § 13-1803 — Unlawful use of means of transportation
- A.R.S. § 13-1802 — Theft
How § 13-1809 Affects an Arizona Case
§ 13-1809 usually matters because of how it interacts with the charge someone is actually facing. We read it alongside the charging statute, because a definition or a procedural rule frequently decides what the State must prove, what a judge may impose, or what relief is available afterward.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is A.R.S. § 13-1809?
A.R.S. § 13-1809 is the Arizona statute on jurisdiction. It sets out rules that apply across Arizona criminal cases rather than defining a single offense.
Where can I read the official text of § 13-1809?
The Arizona Legislature publishes it at azleg.gov, in the revision dated 09/19/25. The complete text is reproduced on this page, and every Arizona criminal statute is searchable on our Arizona Criminal Code index.
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