Legal Question in Constitutional Law in Arizona

Re: rights of convicted felons as citizens

In most states, felons lose some of their rights -- such as the rights to vote, to seek elected office and to own firearms -- permanently. There are usually ways the felon can try to have some or all of these rights reinstated, but few aplicants meet the standards for regaining their lost rights.

Laws which establish such consequences for a felony conviction have generally been held constitutional. Each such law would have to be evaluated individually, though, and there are some rights -- such as freedom of religion and the right to marry -- which cannot be abridged as a result of a conviction.