JUVENILE
Juvenile / Office Locations
Juvenile matters are handled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
at the Juvenile Court Center Durango Facility, 3131 W. Durango in Phoenix
and at the Southeast Facility, 1810 S. Lewis St. in Mesa. The telephone
numbers for the facilities are (602) 506-4041 for Durango and (602)
506-2850
for Southeast.
Juvenile / Overview
Juvenile Court responsibilities
The Juvenile Court has jurisdiction over:
*Delinquency and incorrigibility matters,
*Petitions to adopt,
*Applications for certification to adopt,
*Petitions for termination of parental rights,
*Dependency matters,
*Guardianship of a Minor (NOT Conservatorship and not testamentary appointment of a guardian by will.),
*Emancipation of a Minor (must be at least 16 years of age),
*Injunction against Harassment if the subject is UNDER 12 years of age,
*Relinquishment of parental rights including American Indian children.
Juvenile Court does not handle change of name or conservatorship of a minor.
For further information on these two topics please call Probate Court
Administration at (602) 506-3668.
Information about cases
Delinquency records are open to the public for those juveniles who turned 18 after
1-1-1995. All other requests for information from delinquency files must be approved by the Court before
any can be viewed.
Guardianship and emancipation cases are open to the public unless ordered sealed by the court.
All other juvenile case information is confidential.
You may be granted access to case information depending upon your relationship
to the case and the type of case it is. You may make a written request
to the Court to release information to you. No case information is released
over the telephone. Picture identification may be required before the
release of any information you are authorized to have. There is a charge
for research, copies, certification and postage.
Juvenile / Delinquency
For information and assistance on delinquency or incorrigibility matters,
please call the Juvenile Probation Department at (602) 506-4011.
If you need information on the destruction of delinquency court records,
contact one of our juvenile facilities at 602-506-4041 or 602-506-2850.
Instructions, criteria, and the form to request destruction of records, restoration of rights and/or application to set aside adjudications are available at
the
Self Service Center.
Juvenile / Adoptions
Fees and forms
There is no filing fee for a Petition for Adoption, or to contest an
adoption. For a listing of all juvenile fees and/or office fees, please
click here.
The Clerk’s Office does not provide any forms for adoption matters. Forms are available
at local book stores, legal form stores, or from an attorney. A cover
sheet is not required.
Requirements
Arizona State Law requires that a social study shall be conducted by a licensed adoption agency and a
report filed with the Court. You must
advise
the Court of the agency you have selected. The Arizona
Department of Economic Services provides a list of local contacts
and information. Licensed adoption agencies are also listed in the phone
book.
To become certified as suitable to adopt children you must select a licensed
adoption agency who will assist you with filing the application. The
application forms and specific information on the process of becoming
certified suitable to adopt children can be provided by the agency you
select.
Where to file
Adoptions are assigned to one of the two juvenile facilities based upon the zip code of the petitioners.
You may present documents for filing at either juvenile facility. For
the locations of the two facilities, click
here.
Step-parent adoptions
For information or assistance on a step-parent adoption, contact the
County Attorney’s Office at (602) 372-5437 (602-372-kids).
Information on completed adoptions
For information regarding a completed adoption matter, you may either
contact the attorney who represented you or file a Motion to Open the
adoption file with the Clerk’s Office. Only non-identifying information
may be provided. Your request for information must be forwarded to the
court for ruling before any information can be released.
You may come in person, to either facility, or request the form by mail
or fax. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope. A $60 deposit
is required to cover the statutorily mandated fees for research ($27.00
per year searched), copies ($0.50 per page), certification, if required
($27.00 for each document certified) and $7 for postage and handling.
If a balance is due, you will be billed; any overpayment will be refunded
to you.
You may also obtain the services of a confidential intermediary.
For more information on that program, please call (602) 452-3957.
Juvenile / Petitions for termination of parental rights
Fees and forms
There is no filing fee required on petitions for termination of parental
rights. Instructions, criteria, and forms to file a petition for termination of parental rights are available at the Self Service Center or available for purchase through the Clerk of the Court, Juvenile Division, for $5.00 per packet. A cover sheet
is not required.
Requirements
Arizona law requires a social study in this matter be conducted and a report submitted to the Court by
a licensed adoption agency. The Arizona Department of Economic Services provides a list of local contacts
and information. Licensed adoption agencies are also listed in the phone book.
Location
The case will be assigned to one of our two juvenile facilities based upon the zip code of the petitioner.
You may present documents for filing at either juvenile facility. For office locations, please click here.
For further
information, you may call (602) 506-4041 or (602) 506-2850.
Juvenile / Dependency matters
If Child Protective Services has removed your child from your custody, you will be served with a notice of hearing.
A court hearing will be set within 7 days. All requests to the Court must be made in writing.
The Court may appoint an attorney for you subject to reimbursement for attorney's fees. If you do not have an attorney and want one, you must file a written
request with the Court. Forms are available at either juvenile facility.
Your request will be sent to the Court and you will be advised of the
decision.
Information and form
packets are available for purchase through the Clerk of the Court,
Juvenile Division, for $5.00 per packet or available through the
Self-Service
Center. Forms for Requests for review of temporary custody (in dependency only) and requests for appointment of an attorney
or court interpreter are available from the Clerk of the Court, Juvenile Division only. A cover sheet is required and also
available from the Clerk of the Court, Juvenile Division.
For further information, you may call (602) 506-4041 or 506-2850.
Guardianship
Petitions for appointment of a temporary and/or permanent guardian
of a minor are filed at the Juvenile Court. Cases are assigned to one of the two juvenile facilities based upon the zip code of
the petitioner. The Filing fee for a Petition for appointment of guardian of a minor can be located in the list of Superior Court
fees, click here.
If the party requesting to be appointed as guardian is NOT a blood relative,
they must submit completed fingerprints for a criminal history check. The fee for presenting the fingerprint card can be located
in the list of Superior Court fees, click here. Blank fingerprint cards are provided by the Clerk's
Office at either juvenile facility. To locate an agency to complete the fingerprinting, see the yellow pages.
Petitions for conservatorship or guardianship AND conservatorship are filed in Probate.
Testamentory appointment of a guardian by a will is also filed in Probate.
For information on filing a petition for guardianship, you may wish to seek legal advice from
an attorney. Information and form packets may be purchased at either juvenile facility or at
the Self-Service Center. Forms are also available online at the
Self-Service Center.
Emancipation
Emancipation laws
became effective in the State of Arizona as of August 12, 2005, when
it became possible for a minor that is at least 16 years of age to
petition the Court for the status of an emancipated minor.
In Arizona, a child is considered emancipated when that child reaches 18 years of age, upon marriage,
active military service, or by order of the Court. A minor can petition the Court for
emancipation if ALL of the following apply:
- The minor is at least 16 years of age
- A resident of this state
- Is financially self-sufficient
- Reads and understands the information provided by the Court regarding the rights and obligations as well as
the potential risks and consequences of emancipation; and
- Is not a ward of the Court in the care, custody, and control of a state agency.
The Filing fees for a Petition for Emancipation or an Answer to a
Petition for Emancipation can be located in the list of Superior Court fees, click here. Forms
can be purchased at either the Juvenile Court Facility or the
Self Service
Center.
Injunctions against Harassment
If the person the injunction is against is LESS than 12 years of age, the injunction MUST be filed in the
Juvenile Division of Superior Court.
If the person the injunction is against is 12 years of age or older, the injunction may be filed in ANY court. Injunctions against an adult 18
or older should not be filed in Juvenile Court.
The forms are available at the Clerk's Office at either juvenile facility or
at the Self-Service Center.
There is no fee for the forms and there is no filing fee. The cost of service is the responsibility
of the petitioner. The petitioner can also request the cost of service be deferred or waived.
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