Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Can the Attorney General’s Office give me personal legal advice or represent me in court?
- Where can I obtain a referral for legal services?
- Can I obtain an Attorney General’s Opinion on a legal matter?
- Where can I get information about the Open Meeting Law?
- Does the Attorney General’s Office investigate or prosecute alleged crimes?
- I want to look up a state law. Where can I find it?
- How do I get information on the legislative process in Arizona?
- How can I get a public record from a government agency?
- I need a copy of a legal document. Where can I go to get it?
- Who can I contact to obtain my free annual credit report?
- I have a complaint about a consumer product I recently bought from a business. Who should I contact about my problem?
- I keep getting unwanted telephone solicitors calling my home, what can I do about it?
- Where do I report a suspicious or fraudulent telemarketer?
- Who can answer simple legal questions regarding consumer problems, landlord and tenant issues, bankruptcy, debt collection, or probate law such as guardianships, wills and trusts?
- Where can I report race, disability, national origin, sex, color, religion, age, or familial status discrimination?
- I need assistance with my child support case. Where do I start?
- Who can help me with food stamps or cash assistance?
- I’m concerned about the quality of care a relative is receiving in a state-licensed facility for the elderly. Who should I talk to?
- Where do I report suspected abuse, neglect or financial exploitation?
- Where can I file a complaint against an attorney?
- Where can I file a complaint against a judge?
- Where can I file a complaint against a police officer who I believe is guilty of misconduct?
- Where do I file a complaint against a doctor for malpractice?
- Where can I file a complaint against a bank or collection agency?
- Where can I get a license to carry a concealed weapon?
- How do I report a bad check?
- How can I collect my last paycheck from my employer?
- Where do I need to register a non-profit charity organization?
- I’m a member of a profession going into business for myself. Where can I find out what licenses I need?
- Who do I contact to find out if a business is incorporated or how a business gets incorporated?
- Where do I report areas of concern regarding public health, the environment or air pollution?
- Where can I get help with my legal residency status?
- If I am called for jury duty, where can I get more information?
- Where can I obtain information about an insurance company or agent?
- Where can I get information on or submit a complaint about a contractor, construction company, air-conditioning and heat, landscaping or other home service?
- Where can I obtain information or complaint record about a specific business?
- Where can I obtain information on charities or telemarketers?
- Where do I report the inaccurate sale of commodities by weight, measure or count?
- Where can I find links to other state agencies
and government entities?
See Also
Advance Directives
(Life Care Planning) FAQ
Gasoline FAQ
Can the Attorney General’s Office give me personal legal advice or represent me in court?
The primary role of the Attorney General's Office is to provide legal representation to the State of Arizona, its agencies and state officials acting in their official capacities. The Office is not authorized to advise or represent private citizens on personal legal matters. If you need help with a personal legal matter – such as filing a lawsuit, creating a will, or defending against a criminal charge – you may want to contact a private attorney.
Where can I obtain a referral for legal services?
If you do not know an attorney in your area, the State Bar of Arizona provides information on attorney referral services for persons of varying income levels. You may also contact the State Bar at:
Arizona State Bar
602.252.4804.
Referrals can also be found at:
Community Legal Services – free legal service
602.258.3434
Can I obtain an Attorney General’s Opinion on a legal matter?
The Attorney General’s Office provides formal written opinions about constitutional or legal questions when requested by statewide elected officials, members of the Legislature, appointed heads of state agencies, and county prosecuting attorneys. The Office does not prepare opinions for private citizens, state agency employees, or employees of local agencies other than county prosecutors. An official opinion expresses the Attorney General’s position on a point of law. Opinions are considered persuasive but not binding by the courts. To review recent opinions issued by the office, click here.
Where can I get information about the Open Meeting Law?
The Attorney General’s Office has established the Open Meeting Law Enforcement Team (OMLET) to handle inquiries and conduct investigations and enforcement proceedings relating to complaints of violations of the Open Meeting Law. Investigations are conducted when OMLET receives a signed, written complaint that describes conduct that, if verified, would constitute a violation. For information regarding Homeowner Associations and the Open Meeting Law, click here.
Does the Attorney General’s Office investigate or prosecute alleged crimes?
Our Office can investigate and prosecute all crimes as authorized by the Legislature under Arizona Revised Statutes. These crimes include, among others, organized crime, fraud schemes, public corruption, state tax fraud, insurance fraud, land fraud and crimes referred to our office by any of the County Attorney Offices.
I want to look up a state law. Where can I find it?
Many public libraries and law libraries provide public access to the state statutes in book form, including:
Law and Research Library Division
of
Arizona State Library Archives and Public Records
602.542.5297
www.lib.az.us/is/locations/index.cfm
Maricopa County Law Library
602.506.3945
www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/lawlibrary/
Statutes can also be accessed online at: www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp
How do I get information on the legislative process in Arizona?
Arizona Legislative Information Services (ALIS) on-line information service at www.azleg.state.az.us or 602.542.4236.
How can I get a public record from a government agency?
By requesting it from the government agency that has the document. You may be asked to put your request in writing, and there may be a charge for copying. The federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) governs the disclosure of documents held by U.S. government agencies. A good source of information about FOIA is the University of Missouri’s Freedom of Information Center.
I need a copy of a legal document. Where can I go to get it?
Depending on the type of document, there are several possibilities. If the document is part of a judicial proceeding, you will need to visit the court Clerk’s office in the county or federal jurisdiction where the case was filed.
Copies of birth and death certificates may be available through the county health office where the event occurred, or through the Department of Health Services.
For copies of federal documents, you will need to contact the federal agency that issued the document. To replace a lost Social Security card, for example, you should contact the Social Security Administration by visiting one of their local offices or their Web site. For a lost passport, contact the United States Department of State Passport Services Division.
Who can I contact to obtain my free annual credit report?
You are eligible to receive a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting bureaus every year. To order your free credit reports, call 1.877.322.8228 or request online at www.annualcreditreport.com (the central Web site established by the three credit bureaus).
I have a complaint about a consumer product I recently bought from a business. Who should I contact about my problem?
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division enforces the state’s Consumer Protection Act and may take legal action against businesses that engage in unfair or deceptive practices. Remedies sought may include consumer refunds and civil penalties. The division also assists consumers and businesses in resolving disputes by notifying businesses of written consumer complaints and mediating complaints.
For additional information on filing a complaint, and for tips on how to avoid a variety of consumer ripoffs, visit the Consumer page of our Web site.
You may also want to register a consumer complaint with the Better Business Bureau. For information on filing a complaint or on contacting a Better Business Bureau office near you, visit http://www.bbb.org.
I keep getting unwanted telephone solicitors calling my home, what can I do about it?
Register for the National Do Not Call List at:
Federal Trade Commission: National Do Not Call List
FTC Do Not Call Phone numbers:
1.888.382.1222
TTY 1.866.290.4236
More information about the FTC and the National Do Not Call Registry is available at: http://www.ftc.gov/
Where do I report a suspicious or fraudulent telemarketer?
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
877-382-4357 or http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menu-tmark.htm
Who can answer simple legal questions regarding consumer problems, landlord and tenant issues, bankruptcy, debt collection, or probate law such as guardianships, wills and trusts?
The Elder Law Hotline
800.231.5441
Where can I report race, disability, national origin, sex, color, religion, age, or familial status discrimination?
Civil
Rights Division, Attorney General's Office
602.542.5263 or
877.491.5742
I need assistance with my child support case. Where do I start?
Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE)
P.O. Box 40458
Phoenix, AZ 85067-9917
602.252.4045
Who can help me with food stamps or cash assistance?
The Department of Economic Security
Family Assistance Administration
P.O. Box 40458
Phoenix, AZ 85067-9917
602.843.3934
I’m concerned about the quality of care a relative is receiving in a state-licensed facility for the elderly. Who should I talk to?
Department of Health Services
602.674.9705
If you suspect that a resident may be the victim of a criminal act, report it immediately to local police by dialing 911.
Where do I report suspected abuse, neglect or financial exploitation?
To report an Emergency Dial 911
Adult Protective Services (APS)-Adult Abuse 24 Hour Hotline:
1.877.SOS.ADULT (1.877.767.2385)
TDD: 1.877.815.8390
Area Agency on Aging - 24-hour Senior HELPLINE:
602.264.HELP (602.264.4357)
Or call your local police department
Where can I file a complaint against a public official I believe is guilty of misconduct?
You may wish to contact the Auditor General’s Office, which reviews operations of state and local agencies to ensure that public funds are spent and accounted for in accordance with the law. For more information about the Auditor General’s Office and its programs, visit its Web site at http://www.auditorgen.state.az.us/overview.htm.
Where can I file a complaint against an attorney?
Grievances against lawyers who are licensed to practice law in Arizona should be filed with:
The State Bar of Arizona
602.252.4804
Where can I file a complaint against a judge?
The State Commission on Judicial Conduct considers complaints against judges and court commissioners in Arizona. For additional information on filing a complaint, visit the Commission’s Web site at www.supreme.state.az.us/ethics/default.htm. You may also call the Commission at 602.542.5200.
Where can I file a complaint against a police officer who I believe is guilty of misconduct?
Each police department has a Professional Standards Bureau. Listed below are telephone numbers for various departments in Arizona:
Chandler 480.782.4400
Gilbert 480.503.6500
Glendale 623.930.3000
Kingman 928.753.2191
Mesa 480.644.2211
Oro Valley 520.229.4900
Phoenix 602.262.7626
Scottsdale 480.312.5000
Tempe 480.966.6211
Tucson 520.791.4444
Where do I file a complaint against a doctor for malpractice?
To determine if you have a malpractice claim against a doctor, you should consult a private attorney. However, to file a complaint about a physician, you should contact:
Arizona Medical Board
9545 E. Doubletree Ranch Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
480.551.2700
Where can I file a complaint against a bank or collection agency?
Department of State Banking
602.255.4421 or
800.544.0708 (Arizona only)
Where can I get a license to carry a concealed weapon?
The Department of Public Safety
602.223.2000.
Bad Check Enforcement Programs are administered by County Attorney offices:
Maricopa
County Attorney
Bad Check Division
602.372.7300
Pima County Attorney
Bad Check Program
520.740.4100
How can I collect my last paycheck from my employer?
Industrial Commission of Arizona
Labor Department
602.542.4515
Where do I need to register a non-profit Charity organization?
Secretary of State
602.542.6187
I’m a member of a profession going into business for myself. Where can I find out what licenses I need?
Department of Revenue
602.255.3381
Who do I contact to find out if a business is incorporated or how a business gets incorporated?
The Arizona Corporation Commission
1300 W. Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
602.542.7572
Where do I report areas of concern regarding public health, the environment or air pollution?
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
1110 W. Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
602.771.2300
Where can I get help with my legal residency status?
Immigration Office
2035 N. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602.379.3118
U.S. Attorney General
40 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1200
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602.514.7500
You may also contact your local congress person.
If I Am called for jury duty, where can I get more information?
Contact the jury commissioner listed on your jury summons.
Where can I obtain information about an insurance company or agent?
Department of Insurance
602.364.2499 or
800.325.2548
Where can I get information on or submit a complaint about a contractor, construction company, air-conditioning and heat, landscaping or other home service?
Registrar of Contractors
602.542.1525
Where can I obtain information or complaint record about a specific business?
Better Business Bureau
602.264.1721 or
877.291.6222
Where can I obtain information on charities or telemarketers?
Secretary of State
602.542.6187
Where do I report the inaccurate sale of commodities by weight, measure or count?
Arizona Department of
Weights & Measures
4425 West Olive Avenue, Suite 134
Glendale, AZ 85302
Within Maricopa County 602.255.5211
Outside Maricopa County 800.277.6675
Fax 602.255.1950
Where can I find links to other state agencies and government entities?
Arizona Ombudsman: Citizens' Aide