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.
Legal Term Glossary
General Legal Terms
Glossaries
| Term | Main definition |
|---|---|
| Parties | Persons, partnerships, corporations, businesses, or governmental organizations involved in legal proceedings. |
| Petit (Trial) Jury | The group of people selected to decide the facts and render a verdict in a civil or criminal trial. |
| Petition | Written request to the court asking for specific legal action. |
| Petition for Review | An application asking an appellate court to examine a ruling or decision. |
| Plaintiff | Someone who brings an action, such as a complaint. |
| Plea | Response of a defendant to the criminal charges stated; the plea is usually guilty or not guilty. |
| Plea Agreement | A process between the accused and the prosecution to negotiate a mutually satisfactory outcome of the case. |
| Points of Law | The legal questions that a case may raise. |
| Precinct | Geographic subdivision of city, town or county, used to describe the jurisdiction of a justice of the peace or for election purposes. |
| Preliminary Hearing | Court proceeding used to determine whether there is enough evidence against a person charged with a felony to proceed to trial. |
| Presiding Judge | Judge who handles the administrative duties of the court. Depending on the court, this judge may also hear cases. |
| Pro Per | Appearing in court for oneself, as in the case of one who does not use the services of a lawyer. |
| Probable Cause | Reasonable cause; there is more evidence for than against. |
| Probate | The legal process of establishing the validity of a will and settling an estate. |
| Probation | A conditional suspension of the sentence given by a court in a criminal case. If the terms of probation are completed successfully, the sentence is not imposed. If the terms of probation are violated, probation may be revoked and the sentence carried out. |
| Proposition 109 | The constitutional amendment that required public input and the establishment of a process to review judges job performances. |
| Prosecutor | Attorney representing the citizens of a particular community or the state in a criminal case. This may be the city attorney, county attorney or attorney general. |