Arizona Laws 8-842. Initial dependency hearing; deadlines
A. Except as provided in section 8-826, the court shall set the initial dependency hearing within twenty-one days after the petition is filed. If service by publication is required, the court may set an initial dependency hearing within a time period to allow for publication pursuant to the rules of procedure for the juvenile court.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 8-842
- Department: means the department of child safety. See Arizona Laws 8-201
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- In-home intervention: means a program of services provided pursuant to article 14 of this chapter while the child is still in the custody of the parent, guardian or custodian. See Arizona Laws 8-801
- including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- juvenile: means an individual who is under eighteen years of age. See Arizona Laws 8-201
- Person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society, as well as a natural person. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Petition: means a written statement of the essential facts that allege delinquency, incorrigibility or dependency. See Arizona Laws 8-201
B. At the initial dependency hearing, the court shall:
1. Determine if the parent or guardian is providing the court and the department with the names, the type of relationship and all available information necessary to locate persons who are related to the child or who have a significant relationship with the child.
2. Determine that the department is conducting a due diligence search pursuant to Section 8-514.07 and attempting to identify and assess placement of the child with a grandparent or another member of the child’s extended family including a person who has a significant relationship with the child.
3. If the child has siblings, determine that the department is attempting to identify and assess placement of the child with the child’s siblings if this is possible and is in the child’s best interests.
C. Unless the court has ordered in-home intervention, the dependency adjudication hearing shall be completed within ninety days after service of the dependency petition.