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.
What are the types of legal decision making in Arizona?
You may want to look at the definitions for legal decision making.
• “Legal decision making” means the legal right and responsibility to make all non-emergency legal decisions for a child including those regarding education, health care, religious training and personal care decisions. For the purposes of interpreting or applying any international treaty, federal law, a uniform code or the statutes of other jurisdictions of the United States, legal decision making means legal custody.
• “Joint legal decision making” means both parents share legal decision making and neither of the rights of parents are superior, except with respect to specified decisions as set forth by the court or the parents in the final judgment or order. “Parenting time" means the schedule of time during which each parent has access to a child at specified times. Each parent during their scheduled parenting time is responsible for providing the child with food, clothing and shelter and may make routine decisions concerning the care of the child.
• “Sole legal decision making” means one parent has the legal right and responsibility to make major decisions for a child.
Resources:
• Definitions A.R.S. § 25-401
