Opinion ID: 867445
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: pcr procedures

Text: ¶ 5 The Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure outline the process by which a convicted defendant may obtain post-conviction relief. Ariz. R.Crim. P. 32. The PCR process begins when the defendant files a notice in the trial court in which he or she was convicted. Id. R. 32.4(a). The notice is followed by a petition setting forth any of eight enumerated grounds for relief. See id. R. 32.1; State v. Carriger, 143 Ariz. 142, 145-46, 692 P.2d 991, 994-95 (1984). The petition puts flesh and muscle on the skeleton provided by the notice. Rule 32.5 specifically requires that the petition contain every ground known to the defendant for challenging the judgment and further requires that all facts upon which the petition is based be shown by [a]ffidavits, records, or other evidence currently available to the defendant. ¶ 6 Rule 32 requires appointed defense counsel to file a PCR petition setting forth the defendant's claims for relief within sixty days of appointment, Ariz. R.Crim. P. 32.4(c)(2), although extensions of time for filing the petition may be granted. Id. (requiring extraordinary circumstances for the second or subsequent continuance). In this case, defense counsel filed the PCR notice on August 10, 2001. Soon thereafter, Canion's attorney filed a motion seeking discovery, and counsel have since been attempting to resolve the discovery dispute. Thus at this juncture, nearly four years after the filing of the PCR notice, no PCR petition has been filed.