In the fall of 2024, the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) mailed letters to parents who once had an open dependecy and/or severance case.
Did you receive a letter? Visit the DCS letter page for more information.
Criminal Pretrial Conference
It is mandatory that you attend the Pretrial Conference scheduled for your hearing. You should appear with your attorney, if you have one. If you do not attend the Pretrial Conference you will be in violation of a court order and a warrant will be issued for your arrest.
Anything you say during a Pretrial Conference can be used against you if you reject or the judge rejects the plea agreement.
The purpose of a Pretrial Conference is for you to meet with a Prosecutor to discuss your case. You will get a copy of the police report, the complaint(s), accident reports, and any other evidence that they plan to use against you at trial. You are not required to discuss the facts of your case with the Prosecutor. The Prosecutor will advise you of the sentence they intend to recommend in the event you are found guilty. Witnesses do not attend the Pretrial Conference, and no testimony is taken.
You will have the following choices:
- You can accept the plea agreement with the prosecutor and change your plea to "Guilty" or "No Contest"
- If you do this you will receive a court date for a Change of Pleas, where you will be sentenced to the terms that you have agreed to in your plea agreement
- Reject the plea agreement and change your plea of "Not Guilty" to "Guilty" or "No Contest" directly to the Judge without agreeing on a sentence with the Prosecutor.
- You can keep your plea of "Not Guilty" and take the case to trial
If the Judge does not accept your plea agreement, you can then change your plea back to not guilty.
Resources
FAQ - Criminal Trials
FAQ - Warrants