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 |
|---|---|
| Judgment | The official decision by a court about the rights and claims of the person to a civil or criminal lawsuit. |
| Judicial Performance Review | The process as required by the Arizona Constitution to periodically review the performance of judges appointed by the governor. |
| Jurisdiction | The power or authority of the court to act. The court must have jurisdiction over the subject matter or geographic area of the proceeding and the person against whom relief is sought. |
| Jury Commissioner | Court officer who ensures that potential jurors are available to serve when needed by the courts. |
| Law | Provisions which regulate the conduct of society, primarily generated by the legislative brand of government. |
| Lawyer | A person licensed by the State to represent people in court and give legal advice. |
| Legal Father | A man who is recognized by law as being a parent. |
| Lien | A legal claim against the property of another person as security for a debt. |
| Limited Jurisdiction Court | A Court which may hear and decide limited types of cases, in Arizona, these are the justice of the Peace and Municipal Courts. |
| Litigant | A generic term used to describe a person or persons to a legal action. A litigant can be a plaintiff or a defendant. |
| Litigation | A judicial contest which seeks a decision from the court. |
| Long-Arm Statute | A statute permitting a state court to exercise jurisdiction over a non-resident. |
| Magistrate | Often used to refer to a municipal court judge, but A.R.S. 1-215 provides a broad definition that includes all judicial officers with power to issue a warrant for arrest: includes a Supreme Court justice and judges of the superior, justice and municipal courts. |
| Maintenance Supplement | An amount of money added to a child support award in order to ensure that the child lives in the same living conditions, as the child would have if the child had been living with the other parent. This amount is technically granted to one of the parents, and can be permanent or temporary. |
| MAO | Medical Assistance Only cases. |
| Mediation | A process in which the disputing persons use a third individual to assist them in reaching a settlement of the dispute. The process is private, informal, and non-binding. The mediator has no power to impose a settlement, but rather attempts to assist the disputants in reaching a mutually acceptable resolution to the dispute. |
| Memo in Opposition | A memorandum in response to another written memorandum or written request to the court. |
| Memorandum | A written document in support of a certain position. |
| Merit Selection | A system for a judicial nomination commission to recommend candidates for judicial appointments to the governor. |
| Mini-trial | A process in which each side presents its case to a neutral third party, usually one impartial advisor who has been selected by the litigants and their attorneys. Although the process resembles a trial, the presentation is abbreviated. Following the presentations, the representatives of the litigants meet, with or without the neutral third party, to negotiate a settlement. |