Opinion ID: 867532
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: current statute

Text: ¶ 9 In 1997, the legislature enacted section 13-205(A), which states: [A] defendant shall prove any affirmative defense raised by a preponderance of the evidence, including any justification defense under chapter 4 of this title. See 1997 Ariz. Sess. Laws, ch. 136, § 4. Self-defense is a justification defense under Chapter 4. See §§ 13-401 through 13-417. Thus, the legislature has made clear its intention that a defendant bears the burden of proving the defense of self-defense by a preponderance of the evidence. ¶ 10 `Power resides with the legislature to define that conduct which will not be tolerated in an ordered society....' State v. Musser, 194 Ariz. 31, ¶ 9, 977 P.2d 131, ¶ 9 (1999), quoting State v. Bly, 127 Ariz. 370, 371, 621 P.2d 279, 280 (1980); see State v. Viramontes, 204 Ariz. 360, ¶ 12, 64 P.3d 188, ¶ 12 (2003) (It is not our place to pass on the wisdom of legislative decisions concerning criminal procedure.); State v. Jackson, 186 Ariz. 490, 491, 924 P.2d 494, 495 (App.1996) (The authority to define crimes and fix the penalties for such crimes rests with the legislature, not the judiciary.). This power also extends, at least within constitutional bounds, to defenses. See, e.g., State v. Mott, 187 Ariz. 536, 540-41, 931 P.2d 1046, 1050-51 (1997) (legislature decides whether to adopt the defense of diminished capacity and the Court does not have the authority to do so), citing State v. Schantz, 98 Ariz. 200, 212-13, 403 P.2d 521, 529 (1965); Paul H. Robinson, Criminal Law Defenses § 24(a), at 86 (1984) (Legislatures refine basic [justification] principle[s] to provide in each case a suitable justification defense....). Section 13-103(A), A.R.S., states: All common law offenses and affirmative defenses are abolished. No conduct or omission constitutes an offense or an affirmative defense unless it is an offense or an affirmative defense under this title or under another statute or ordinance. Because the legislature has determined that self-defense is not an element of the crime but is to be proven by the defendant, this court must respect the legislature's decision, unless that decision is unconstitutional under either the federal or state due process clause.