Terms Used In Arizona Laws > Title 31 > Chapter 1 - Jails

• Abuse: means the infliction or allowing of physical injury, impairment of bodily function or disfigurement or the infliction of or allowing another person to cause serious emotional damage as evidenced by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal or untoward aggressive behavior and which emotional damage is diagnosed by a medical doctor or psychologist and is caused by the acts or omissions of an individual who has the care, custody and control of a child. See Arizona Laws 8-201
• Adult: means a person who has attained eighteen years of age. See Arizona Laws 1-215
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Child safety services: means a specialized child welfare program that is administered by the department as provided in this chapter and that investigates allegations of and seeks to prevent, intervene in and treat abuse and neglect, to promote the well-being of the child in a permanent home and to coordinate services to strengthen the family. See Arizona Laws 8-801
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Complaint: means a written statement of the essential facts constituting a public offense that is any of the following:

  (a) Made on an oath before a judge or commissioner of the superior court or an authorized juvenile hearing officer. See Arizona Laws 8-201

• Custodian: means a person, other than a parent or legal guardian, who stands in loco parentis to the child or a person to whom legal custody of the child has been given by order of the juvenile court. See Arizona Laws 8-201
• Department: means the department of child safety. See Arizona Laws 8-201
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• 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.
• juvenile: means an individual who is under eighteen years of age. See Arizona Laws 8-201
• Juvenile court: means the juvenile division of the superior court when exercising its jurisdiction over children in any proceeding relating to delinquency, dependency or incorrigibility. 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
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Process: means a citation, writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Arizona Laws 1-215
• Referral: means a report that is submitted to the juvenile court and that alleges that a child is dependent or incorrigible or that a juvenile has committed a delinquent or criminal act. See Arizona Laws 8-201
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• worker: means a person who has been selected by and trained under the requirements prescribed by the department and who assists in carrying out the provisions of this article. See Arizona Laws 8-801