ARS 13-2915: Preventing use of telephone in emergency
The complete text of A.R.S. § 13-2915 on preventing use of telephone in emergency, what the State has to prove, and the sentencing range, with a violation charged as a class 2 misdemeanor and exposure reaching up to 4 months in jail.
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ARS 13-2915 Preventing Use of a Telephone in an Emergency: What the State Must Prove
A.R.S. § 13-2915 makes it a class 2 misdemeanor to intentionally prevent or interfere with another person’s use of a telephone in an emergency, or to refuse to give up a party line, or falsely claim an emergency to get one. In practice it is the charge for grabbing or breaking a phone during a domestic argument so the other person cannot call 911.
- Class 2 misdemeanor: up to 4 months in jail, a $750 fine and up to 2 years of probation.
- Interference under (A)(3) is a listed domestic-violence offense under § 13-3601, so it carries the DV designation, treatment program and federal firearm ban.
- It is almost always filed alongside assault, disorderly conduct or criminal damage from the same incident, and is often the count that survives when the assault cannot be proved.
- Whether a real emergency existed at the moment the phone was taken, not just an argument, is the defense the definition in subsection E hands you.
Elements the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt
- For (A)(3), the version actually charged today: that you intentionally prevented or interfered with another person’s use of a telephone.
- In an ’emergency situation’, which subsection E defines narrowly: human health, life or safety was in jeopardy and prompt aid was essential, and it was reasonable to believe a domestic-violence offense was being, had been or was about to be committed.
- Intent: an accidental disconnection, or taking back your own phone without more, is not enough.
- (A)(1) and (A)(2), the party-line paragraphs, are largely obsolete.
How the statute itself lists the conduct
A. It is unlawful for a person to do any of the following:
- Knowingly refuse to yield or surrender the use of a party line to another person to report a fire or summon police or medical or other aid in case of emergency.
- Ask for or request the use of a party line on the pretext that an emergency exists, knowing that no emergency in fact exists.
- Intentionally prevent or interfere with the use of a telephone by another person in an emergency situation.
The State must prove every element of the paragraph it actually charged, beyond a reasonable doubt. Which paragraph appears on the complaint decides what the case is about, and it is the first thing to check.
Penalties for a § 13-2915 Conviction
| Class | Maximum jail | Maximum fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class 2 misdemeanor | 4 months | $750 |
Felony ranges are set by A.R.S. § 13-702(D) and apply to a first felony conviction that is not dangerous and not repetitive. A dangerous offense (§ 13-704), a repetitive offense (§ 13-703) or a dangerous crime against children (§ 13-705) carries a longer range, and some carry mandatory prison with no probation. Misdemeanor maximums come from §§ 13-707 and 13-802; surcharges are added on top of every fine.
Full Text of A.R.S. § 13-2915
A. It is unlawful for a person to do any of the following:
1. Knowingly refuse to yield or surrender the use of a party line to another person to report a fire or summon police or medical or other aid in case of emergency.
2. Ask for or request the use of a party line on the pretext that an emergency exists, knowing that no emergency in fact exists.
3. Intentionally prevent or interfere with the use of a telephone by another person in an emergency situation.
B. Every telephone directory that is compiled and distributed to subscribers shall contain a notice explaining this section. The notice shall be printed in type that is no smaller than any other type on the same page, other than headings, and shall be preceded by the word “warning”. This subsection does not apply to directories that are distributed solely for business advertising purposes, commonly known as classified directories.
C. This section does not require a person to allow another person to enter the person’s home or place of residence for the purpose of using a telephone in an emergency situation.
D. A person who violates this section is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.
E. For the purposes of this section:
1. “Emergency” means a situation in which property or human life is in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential.
2. “Emergency situation” means a situation in which both of the following apply:
(a) Human health, life or safety is in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential.
(b) It is reasonable to believe that a domestic violence offense pursuant to section 13-3601 is being, has been or is about to be committed.
3. “Party line” means a subscriber’s line telephone circuit, consisting of two or more main telephone stations connected therewith, each station with a distinctive ring or telephone number.
Source: Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-2915, as published by the Arizona Legislature. Read the official text on azleg.gov. Statutes change; verify the current version before relying on it.
Our Guides on This Charge
Written by our defense team on how these cases run in Arizona courts.
Related Statutes in Chapter 29 — Offenses Against Public Order
- A.R.S. § 13-2914 — Aggressive solicitation
- A.R.S. § 13-2916 — Use of an electronic communication to terrify, intimidate, threaten or harass
- A.R.S. § 13-2913 — Unlawful violation of fire ban
- A.R.S. § 13-2917 — Public nuisance
- A.R.S. § 13-2912 — Unlawful introduction of disease or parasite
- A.R.S. § 13-2918 — Interference with emergency transmission on citizens’ band radio frequency
- A.R.S. § 13-2911 — Interference with or disruption of an educational institution
- A.R.S. § 13-2919 — Automated telephone solicitation
How Tamou Law Group Defends § 13-2915 Cases
A § 13-2915 case is decided by the paragraph the State charged, not by the statute as a whole. We start with the charging document and the disclosure, identify which subsection the prosecutor has to prove, and test whether the evidence actually reaches every element of it. Where the class turns on a fact such as value, an alleged injury, a prior conviction or the identity of the person involved, that fact is frequently the difference between a class 2 misdemeanor and something far less serious, and it is where these cases are won.
We handle preventing use of telephone in emergency cases across Maricopa County and statewide, from our Scottsdale and Phoenix offices. Call 623-321-4699 any time, or read the statute in full above before you speak to anyone about the case.
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Why Tamou Law Group for Violent Crime Charges
Assault, robbery, weapons and threatening cases turn on identification, intent and whether the State can prove what actually happened in a few chaotic seconds. We rebuild those seconds with evidence rather than argument.
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Our published results include an armed robbery and aggravated assault case dismissed on identification and discovery failures, aggravated assault and weapons charges reduced, and a robbery charge resolved as a misdemeanor. We take these cases to the evidence, not to the first offer.
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Published results in this area
| Case | Charges | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| State v. D.O. | Armed robbery and aggravated assault (A.R.S. 13-1904, 13-1204) | Dismissed |
| State v. Z.E. | Aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and threatening (13-1204, 13-2904, 13-1202) | Reduced charge |
| State v. R.B. | Aggravated assault, misconduct involving weapons and endangerment (13-1204, 13-3102, 13-1201) | Reduced charge |
| State v. E.K. | Misconduct involving weapons and disorderly conduct (13-3102, 13-2904) | Reduced to a misdemeanor |
| State v. R.M. | Robbery and theft (13-1902, 13-1802) | Reduced to a misdemeanor |
| State v. P.A. | Disorderly conduct and assault (13-2904, 13-1203) | Deferred prosecution |
| State v. H.C. | Resisting arrest and disorderly conduct (13-2508, 13-2904) | Probation, no jail |
Anonymized outcomes from our case results page. Every case is different; past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A.R.S. § 13-2915?
A.R.S. § 13-2915 makes it a class 2 misdemeanor to intentionally prevent or interfere with another person’s use of a telephone in an emergency, or to refuse to give up a party line, or falsely claim an emergency to get one. In practice it is the charge for grabbing or breaking a phone during a domestic argument so the other person cannot call 911.
Is a violation of § 13-2915 a felony in Arizona?
No. Under the statute a violation is a class 2 misdemeanor, so the exposure reaches up to 4 months in jail. The paragraph charged and the facts decide which class applies.
What is the maximum penalty for a class 2 misdemeanor?
A.R.S. 13-707 caps jail at 4 months for a class 2 misdemeanor and A.R.S. 13-802 caps the fine at $750, before surcharges. A judge may also impose probation and other conditions.
Where can I read the official text of § 13-2915?
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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