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.
How do I file for an Injunction Against Harassment?
A person may fill out a petition for an Injunction Against Harassment (IAH) in 2 ways—either online with AZPOINT or on paper at a courthouse. There is no fee to file a petition for an IAH, but there is a fee to have it served on the defendant, with 2 exceptions:
- If the order is based on a dating relationship or on sexual violence, then there is no fee to have the IAH served on the defendant.
- The plaintiff may ask the judicial officer to grant a fee waiver or deferral if the cost of service is a problem. Fee Waiver & Deferral Forms
Online
AZPOINT (https://azpoint.azcourts.gov/) is a free application that is designed to help a person fill out the paperwork for a Protective Order. There is NO FEE to use AZPOINT. A person may use AZPOINT on a desktop computer, smartphone, laptop, or tablet. At AZPOINT, the victim may set up an account and, through a guided interview, work on the court documents at their own speed. Draft documents will remain in their AZPOINT account for 90 days while they work on them.
The person seeking the IAH will need a valid email address to set up an AZPOINT account. The website explains how to get an email address if the do not have an account or it has been compromised by the defendant. There is a “Safety” button (an escape button) in AZPOINT, but it does not wipe browser history. The defendant may want to consider doing that if the offender has access to their devices.
AZPOINT will create a confirmation number for the petition. Please keep the confirmation number confidential. When the person filing is ready to proceed with their petition, it must be filed with a court. The person filing will need to know the confirmation number generated by AZPOINT so court staff can pull up the documents. To find a nearby court, click Find My Court.
Injunctions Against Harassment can be filed with any Arizona courthouse.
Paper
If the victim wants to file their documents on paper, they can find them online or the court will provide the forms at no cost. The victim will be asked to fill out the Plaintiff Information Sheet, the Petition, and the Service of Process Information Form. Fill out the forms provided by the court and return them to court staff.
Resources:
• Injunction against harassment A.R.S. § 12-1809
• Injunction against harassment Forms