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In the fall of 2024, the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) mailed letters to parents who once had an open dependency and/or severance case.

Did you receive a letter? Visit the DCS letter page for more information.

Family Law

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Glossaries

Term Main definition
Caretaker Relative

A person who receives TANF payments on behalf of a beneficiary incapable of managing the funds.

Case

Lawsuit, suit or action being resolved through the court system.

Case Law

Law composed of previous written decisions of appellate courts.

Case Number

A number assigned by the court to identify your specific case. The case number in domestic relations is usually preceded by one or two letters such as: D, DO, or DR.

Central Registry

An entity required by all reciprocating jurisdictions to receive, log and distribute interstate cases.

Certified Copy

A copy of a paper which has been signed and certified as a true copy by the officer in whose custody the original is entrusted.

Chambers

Private offices of a judge or justice.

Chief Justice

Presiding justice of the Arizona Supreme Court.

Child Support

An amount of money that a parent must give to another parent to help with the living, medical and educational expenses of a child.

Child Support Enforcement Administration

Division of Child Support Services (DCSS)

Synonyms - CSEA
Child Support Guidelines

Standards adopted by the Arizona Supreme Court to guide parents and the courts when determining child support obligations.

Child Support Order

A written order from the court that states: which parent must pay child support; which parent will receive child support; the amount of child support payment; how often the payment must be made.

Child Support Worksheet

A document, used to enter financial information and calculate the amount of child support according to the Child Support Guidelines.

Civil Action

A non-criminal case concerning the claim of one individual or entity against another.

Synonyms - Civil Suit
Civil Law

Area of law that deals with disputes between individuals, not involving crimes.

Claim

Legal and factual grounds for a court to grant relief.

Clearinghouse

A central location that receives, disburses and monitors IV-D support payments.

Clerk of the Court

An appointed or elected person who is in charge of keeping records, accounts and managing regular activities for a court.

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Rules implementing federal laws.

In IV-D, these rules are contained in 45 CFR Part 300-399.

Synonyms - CFR
Complaint

Legal paper telling the court and the defendant what the claims of the plaintiff are. This document is filed with the court at the beginning of a case.

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