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.
Why does it take so long for the court to render its decision or opinion?
How soon a decision is filed depends on many things, including the complexity of the issues raised, the caseloads of the judges, and scheduling considerations. In addition, some of the time required is built into the process. For example, the court reporter and the superior court clerk are given time to prepare transcripts and gather and transmit the record to the appeals court. Then, there are fixed time periods for filing briefs. Once an appeal is ready to be decided, it is assigned to a court department to be considered as soon as possible. Some decisions take longer, for example, in complex cases or when the three judges of the department are not in agreement on the decision.