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
Glossaries
| Term | Main definition |
|---|---|
| Decree | The final decision of the court on a case brought before it. |
| Default | A failure of the defendant to file the right papers within the time allowed or to appear in court during a scheduled hearing. |
| Default Judgment | A court order that is issued when an opposing person fails to answer a complaint or appear for trial. |
| Defendant | The person against whom a lawsuit is started; sometimes this person is called a respondent. |
| Delinquent Act | An act committed by a juvenile that if committed by an adult would be a crime. |
| Denial | An answer to a complaint in which the defendant denies the allegations made by the plaintiff. |
| Department of Economic Security | The agency in Arizona responsible for overseeing the IV-D and public assistance programs and to coordinate their activities. |
| Department of Health and Human Services | Federal agency which includes the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE). |
| Dependency | A relationship in which one depends on another for support in whole or in part. |
| Deponent | Someone who gives a deposition. |
| Deposition | Testimony taken orally or in writing outside of a courtroom by question and answer under oath. It may be read in court and may be admitted by the judge as evidence. |
| Discovery | The procedures available to a person to a lawsuit to learn relevant facts which are known to other entities or witnesses, in order to enable the person to prepare for trial. |
| Dismiss | To close out a case without granting the relief sought in the complaint; a case may be dismissed by the people or by the court. |
| Disregard | In TANF cases, the amount of child support, up to $50, actually paid by the obligor and disbursed to the aid recipient in addition to the monthly TANF grant. Termed "disregard" because it is not considered by IV-A to determine TANF eligibility. |
| Dissolution of Marriage | The term used in Arizona Law for divorce. |
| Divide | Split the day or weekend (not necessarily equally) between both parents. |
| Division of Child Support Services | The division of DES charged with the statewide administration and operation of IV-D child support programs. |
| DNA Testing | A way to determine the parents of a child by testing the chromosomes of each parent and child through taking a blood sample. |
| Docket | A written list containing brief notes of all the important acts done in court in each case. The name "docket" or " trial docket" is sometimes given to the list or calendar of cases set for trial or other hearings at a specified time and date. |
| Docket Number | A number that is given to each case as it is filed in the court. This number should be listed on all papers that are filed with the court. |