Know Your Rights

Did you know that as of September 2021, needle exchanges for the purpose of harm reduction are legal in Arizona? Joins us as we talk with a public defender attorney about what the law says, and ask a volunteer harm reductionist about what that looks like in practice at an actual syringe exchange site.

Do you know why we recycle like we do? Or what actually is recyclable? Join us as we talk with someone from the Maricopa County Facilities Management Department who runs the county recycling programs and the waste stations to find out best practices for trash and recycling.

Did you know that harm reduction and needle exchanges are evidence-based public health strategies? Now that they are legal in Arizona, let's dive deeper into the topic. This week we'll talk with Tory Howell, from Shot in the Dark - a harm reduction program that offers syringe exchanges about the principles and evidence behind harm reduction.

How to Get Involved in City Government

Juvenile Life Without Parole

Do you know what the 8th amendment talks about and what constitutional rights it protects? Join our Public Defender Ellie Knowles as she talks about the history of the 8th amendment and how it is applied today.

You may have heard about your constitutional rights, but do you know how they came about and what, exactly, they mean? Listen to our Public Defenders talk about some of the important rights that you have from the Bill of Rights.

Join the Maricopa County Library District and the Public Defender's Office for our access to justice podcast: Know Your Rights. Listen to our local librarian in conversation with attorneys and community experts as they discuss how the law and your rights intersect. Let Know Your Rights provide you with the knowledge you need, the way you need it.

Do you know what the process is or what to expect if you are ever arrested? Join our public defenders to find out.

Do you know what the laws are about cannabis and driving? What about if you're just a passenger? Join us as we speak with public defender Sarah Mayhew to find out.

Do you know what your rights are if you are stopped by the police? Listen to our public defenders to find out!

Meet the team behind Know Your Rights. This week we'll talk to Brittany Volz, a Paralegal at the Maricopa County Public Defender's Office and find out what she does and the ups and downs of her job.

Do you know that Maricopa County has specialty courts just for substance abuse and DUIs? Join us as speak with public defender attorneys to find out how those courts work and who is eligible.

Did you know that millions of marijuana convictions are eligible for expungement under Prop 207, but so far only a few thousand people have applied? Join us as we speak to attorneys about what expungement means, how to apply, and answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

Do you ever wonder what public defenders do or why they do it? How can they defend what some people might think are indefensible crimes? Join us as we talk to the Know Your Rights public defenders to learn their thoughts about why they are a vital part of the criminal justice system.

Do you know what is legal and what is not when it comes to recreational and medical marijuana use? Join the ASU Cannabis Legal Association as we talk with Pima County public defender Sarah Mayhew about the ins and out of cannabis criminal law.

Did you know that there is a legal association for ASU law students that deal with cannabis and related marijuana laws? Join us as we speak to Savanna Wright and learn about this organization.

Veterans have really unique needs, so it makes sense that they would have a court dedicated just to veterans who are involved in the justice system. Join us as we speak to Kacie Nickel, a Public Defender who works in the Maricopa County Veterans Court as she explains how it works, why it's important for our veterans, and how you can get into it.

Do you know what the laws are about animal cruelty or even why its important to talk about animal cruelty? Join us as an attorney from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office talks about the animal cruelty laws and cases that he prosecutes.

Did you know that Arizona hosts one of the few diversion counseling programs for those on probation for animal cruelty? Join us as we talk to Simon Burr from SAGE Counseling as he explains how the program works.

Did you know that the AZ Humane Society offers a lot more than just pet adoptions? Join us as we talk with Tracey Miller from the AZ Humane Society about all the great work they do. Learn more about their bottle baby kitten ICU, their disaster teams, non-traditional animal adoptions, and how to report or find out more about their animal cruelty investigation teams.

Join us as we talk with Kacie Nickel, a county Public Defender about what defendants need to know about their rights and restrictions during a domestic violence dispute - from pre-trial to probation, find out what to expect.

If you are a victim in a domestic violence dispute, do you know what your rights are or what to expect from a victim advocate? Join us as we talk to a county Victim Advocate about the process and what you need to know about victim's rights.

Did you know that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men are victims of domestic violence? Join us as we speak with an attorney with the Family Violence Bureau and a Victim Advocate to find out what the criminal justice process looks like for domestic violence charges. CONTENT WARNING: We'll talk about domestic violence, abuse, & homicide.

So you've got your court date but do you know what to expect, how to dress, or what to say? Join our Public Defenders as they talk about courtroom etiquette and what you can prepare for before you go to court.

You see this scenario on TV all the time: An entire criminal case is thrown out because the police didn't read the suspect their Miranda Rights during the original arrest. Did you know that's not exactly how Miranda Rights work in the real world? Join our Public Defenders Ross Kader and John Champagne as they dispel myths and talk about about when Miranda Rights really come into play in the criminal justice system.

The TikTok #deviouslicks challenge has made stealing from and vandalizing school restrooms seem like a fun thing to do, but it can have lasting consequences. Join us as we hear from attorneys at the Public Defender's Office talk about what types of criminal charges can result from this challenge and what the long-term ramifications could be.

Even though we don't have mental asylums any more, sometimes people need mental health court-ordered treatment. Listen to Dan Fenzel, Office of the Public Advocate, talk about patients' rights when they are ordered to undergo mental health treatment, if they are involuntarily committed, and how the process works.

Conservatorships have been in the news a lot lately, but do you know what the laws are regarding them here in Arizona? Join us as we talk to someone from the Office of the Public Fiduciary about what exactly conservators and guardians do and how they're appointed or removed.

Do you know what the process is when a parent is unable to be a fit parent? Join us as we talk to a Maricopa County Legal Defender as she talks us through the process and how the Office of the Legal Defender makes sure that the parent's rights are protected.

Do you know what your rights are for peaceful protests or demonstrations? Hear from a number of Public Defender attorneys about what you need to know before you go to a protest.

Join us as we continue our discussion about ameliorating the stigma and shame around children with incarcerated parents. We'll talk with Judy Krysik, the Director of the ASU Center for Child Well-being about their program "Empathy Through Literacy" and find out how you can get involved!

Join us for as we talk to attorneys and community partners about the stigma and shame associated with being a child with an incarcerated parent. We'll hear stories and talk about what people can do to help children in our community.

Join us for an interview with Nate Rhoton, the executive director of One n Ten as well as Leslie George, the co-chair of Phoenix GLSEN as we talk about the resources available for our local LGBTQIA+ youth.

Did you know that many crimes will automatically have kids under the age of 18 charged as adults in court and subject to the same harsh penalties? Hear from local public defenders about what happens when a juvenile is charged as an adult.

Do you know what happens to youth who are accused of a crime? Join us as we talk to public defender attorneys about what the juvenile justice system looks like, what juvenile detention is, and how adjudication affects kids later on in life.

Do you know what happens to youth who are accused of a crime? Join us as we talk to public defender attorneys about what the juvenile justice system looks like, what juvenile detention is, and how adjudication affects kids later on in life.

In the middle of a divorce, custody battle, or name change? Did you know you can get help finding the right form? Join us as we talk to the Superior Court Law Library as they talk about what services they offer to the community for help with your legal issues.

Did you know what Access to Justice means or why you should even care? Join us as we introduce the Maricopa County Superior Court Law Library and talk about how people access the legal system, barriers they face, and how libraries help overcome that. Bonus content, find out what the Law library offers and how you can get help.

Do you know what local organizations offer to help the Phoenix LGBTQ+ youth? Join us as we speak with Nate Rhoton, the Executive Director of One n Ten, as well as Leslie George, a co-chair of GLSEN's Phoenix chapter, about what they're doing for our community and how people can get help.

Do you know what's new in LGBTQIA+ civil law? Want to hear about the spate of anti-trans sports bills, or how to make sure your child has a safe environment in schools? Join MCLD as we talk to Lambda Legal attorney, Carl Charles about a birds-eye view of LGBTQIA+ civil rights.

Do you know what rights there are for LGBTQIA+ people? What about rights in jail or in the courtroom? Join us as we speak with Public Defender Kacie Nickel and Lambda Legal attorney Carl Charles about what you need to know.

Join Laura as she speaks with a number of community bicycle groups about how to safely ride and maintain your bicycle, as well as give you special programs where you can get bicycle parts for free! Special thanks to our community partners: The Tempe Bicycle Action Group, Phoenix Spokespeople, The Rusty Spoke, and Bike Saviours.

Join us as attorneys Kara Hyland and Marc Bivens talk about both state and local bike laws and codes. From mandated bike registration to safety laws like helmets and working brakes, Kara and Marc give you the lowdown. Laura will walk you through how to look up your own city's municipal code to find out what your city says about bicycles.

Join attorney Sierra Taylor and Law Clerks Reanna Blackburn, Will Anderson, & Alejandra Curiel as they talk about how you can get your felony and misdemeanor convictions set aside in your quest to regain your rights.

Join us as we talk to Sierra Taylor, a Maricopa County Public Defender, and Law Clerks Charles Klass, Nicholas Bustamante, Kassandra Garcia, and Alejandra Curiel about how you can get your civil rights restored after being convicted of a felony. We'll chat about what rights are taken away at conviction and walk through the application process in getting them restored. Bonus content is that the OPD has a free program with help in filling out the application! Listen in to learn how to get your rights restored.

Join Laura and Kacie as they talk about what the Know Your Rights project is, how it started and evolved, and learn what is coming in future episodes and how to get involved.