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.
Traffic
Glossaries
| Term | Main definition |
|---|---|
| Adjudication | When a judge gives a ruling that decide case or legal controversy. |
| AO | Administrative Order, issued from the Supreme Court which says what is required or needed from the court. |
| ATTC | The Arizona Traffic Ticket and Complaint form, a complaint filed in civil traffic cases. |
| Caption | A heading of a pleading, or other court paper, showing the name of the court, the names of the people and the case number. |
| Change of Venue | Removal of a case from one judicial district to another. |
| Charge | One crime or violation which has allegedly been committed by a defendant. More than one charge can be included on a complaint or citation. |
| Citation | A form of complaint filed in civil traffic cases. Also known as the Arizona Traffic Ticket and Complaint (ATTC). |
| Civil Penalty | Punishment given in a minor civil traffic case, similar to a fine in a criminal proceeding. Same as a civil sanction. |
| Civil Traffic Rules | The Rules of Procedure in Civil Traffic Violation Cases. These rules apply in all civil traffic cases. |
| Code | A collection of laws enacted by a legislature, arranged for convenient reference. |
| Consolidation | The union of two or more actions for the purposes of trial. |
| Cross Examination | The questioning of a witness by the opposing side. |
| DDS | Defensive Driving School (diversion) or Defensive Driving Program (diversion) - same thing. |
| Deposit | Money paid on a civil traffic case to act the same as a bond in a criminal case. Money paid up front to be applied to the civil sanction should the defendant fail to appear. |
| Direct Examination | The first questioning of a witness by the party that called the witness. |
| Disposition | The disposing of a case through sentencing or other major case status change or settlement. The final settlement of a matter with reference to decisions announced by the court. A judges ruling is commonly referred to as a disposition, regardless of the level of resolution. A disposition is not always final, such as a default reported to MVD as a case disposition may not be the final adjudication in the case. |
| DR | Departmental Report. It is a document prepared by the officer where the filing of charges may be requested. |
| Due Process | The right to fairness and regularity in the procedure under which the defendant is tried. |
| Heresay | A statement which a witness has heard another person say, or a written statement offered in evidence without producing the author to testify as to the issues stated. |
| Irrelevant | An objection by one of the parties on the grounds that the evidence being offered has no tendency to prove or disprove an issue of the case. |