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 |
|---|---|
| County Attorney | Attorney elected in each county to prosecute criminal cases on behalf of the public and to represent the county in civil matters. |
| Court Administrator | Person who assists the presiding judge in managing the court. |
| Court Commissioner | Person with authority to do the job of a judge in limited cases. |
| Court of Record | Courts in which all proceedings are permanently recorded according to law. Justice and municipal courts are not courts of record, but they sometimes do keep records of court proceedings. |
| Court Reporter | A person who records all formal court proceedings in order to be able to produce a transcript of the proceeding. |
| Courtroom Clerk | The clerk is the person responsible for filing papers and keeping records of what happens in the courthouse. |
| Crime | An act forbidden by law and punishable by fine, probation, imprisonment or death. |
| Decedent | A person who died |
| Decide | To give a decision. |
| Default | A failure of the defendant to file the right papers within the time allowed or to appear in court during a scheduled hearing. |
| Defendant | The person or entity sued in a civil case or accused in a criminal case. |
| Delinquent Act | An act committed by a juvenile that if committed by an adult would be a crime. |
| Dependency | A relationship in which one depends on another for support in whole or in part. |
| Deportation | The formal removal of a person from the United States when they have been found to have violated immigration laws. |
| Deposition | A deposition is the testimony of a witness or party to a suit, given before trial, under oath, and recorded, just as if it were given in court. |
| Directed Verdict | After evidence has been presented and if no issue of fact remains for the jury to determine, the judge must direct a verdict for the party entitled to prevail. |
| Discovery | The pretrial process by which one entity becomes aware of the evidence gathered by the other entity. |
| Dismissal | An agreement to terminate all or part of a lawsuit. |
| Divorce | The ending of a marriage by court order. |
| Domestic Relations | Area of law dealing primarily with family issues such as divorce, child support, custody and visitation. |