Sometimes a legal word or phrase will have more than one meaning. If this is the case, the legal topic that applies to the definition will be addressed.
A
Academic Supportive Measures
Services, such as changing classes or extending assignment deadlines, to help a victim/survivor maintain access to their school's educational program or activity.Acquit
To find a criminal defendant not guilty.Address Confidentiality Program
A program that helps victims of domestic violence, sexual offenses, and/or stalking from being found through public records.ADR
Alternative Dispute Resolution is the process of settling a legal dispute without a formal trialAgreements
A statement outlining the terms of credit between a lender and a borrower.AHCCCS
Arizona Health Care Cost Containment SystemAmericans with Disabilities Act
A federal civil rights law that prohibits employer discrimination against employees based on disability.Annulment
A legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning, as if it had never taken place.ARCP
Arizona Rules of Civil ProcedureArrears
An amount of money that is overdue; usually this refers to the amount of child support that has been ordered but has not been paid on time.ARS
Arizona Revised StatutesAutomatic
Rights that are automatically afforded to crime victims that take effect as soon as someone becomes a victim.AZPoint
An online portal where Arizonans can quickly fill out the forms needed to ask for an Order of Protection at an Arizona court.B
Bankruptcy
A legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from their debts through plans to repay debts or by discarding debts.Battery
Being the victim of any act or a threatened act of violence, including any forceful detention, psychological abuse and sexual violence, which results or threatens to result in physical or mental injury.Benefits
Indirect compensation provided to employees by their employers, such as health insurance, life insurance, paid vacation, and workplace perks.Best Interests of the Child
All factors that are relevant to a child's physical and emotional well-being. Taken under consideration by the court in making decisions affecting minors.Bona-fide Marriage
A marriage where the spouses entered the marriage with the intent to have a life together, and not just for immigration purposes.Breach
(1) An act contrary to a promise or failure to perform an act or promise. (2)To violate one of the rules or policies outlined in a contract (i.e. a lease agreement).Bullying
Seeking to harm, intimidate, or coerce someone perceived as vulnerable.C
Cash Assistance
Program that provides temporary cash benefits and supportive services to the neediest of Arizonans.Certification
Certain applications require that law enforcement agencies provide certification, or ‘sign off’ on the application. Law enforcement may certify certain applications if they feel the applicant is being helpful to their investigation.Charged
A formal accusation of criminal activity.Child Abuse
When a parent, guardian or custodian of a child inflicts or allows the infliction of physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment upon the child.Child Care Assistance
Arizona program that helps pay the costs of childcare for eligible families.Child Support
An amount of money one parent must pay to the other parent, by order of the court, to contribute to the living and care expenses of a child.Civil Action
A legal dispute between individuals involving civil wrongs.Civil Wrong
An infringement of a person's rights.Clery Act
Requires colleges and universities to report certain information about crimes that occur on and near campus, including sexual violence, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.Complaint
(1) A formal allegation made against a person or entity. (2) A statement that a situation is unsatisfactory or unacceptable.Compliance
Obeying a rule or regulation.Conciliation
(1) The action of mediating between two disputing people or groups. (2) An out-of-court process used to solve disagreements, where parties meet separately with a neutral third party (a conciliator) that attempts to help them resolve their differences.Confer
Have discussions; exchange opinions.Confidentiality
The ethical duty and sometimes legally mandated responsibility to keep information secret or private.Consent
(1) An agreement to do something or to allow something to happen, made with complete knowledge of all relevant facts, such as the risks involved or any available alternatives. (2) Permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.Constitutional Rights
The protections and liberties guaranteed to the people by the U.S. Constitution.Consumer
A person who purchases goods and services for personal use.Contracts
A written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law.Convicted
A finding by a judge or jury that the defendant who has been on trial is guilty of the crime with which he or she was charged.Conviction
A formal declaration that someone is guilty of a criminal offense, made by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law.Covenant Marriage
A legally distinct kind of marriage in which the marrying spouses agree to obtain pre-marital counseling and accept that divorce will only be granted for specific, demonstrated reasons (unlike a standard marriage).Credit
(1) An agreement between a lender and a borrower, who promises to repay the lender at a later date—generally with interest. (2) When somebody borrows resources from somebody else, credit is the trust that they will later pay it back.Credit Report
A record of a borrower's responsible repayment of debts.Creditors
A person or company to whom money is owed.Crime
(1) An action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law. (2) An unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority.Crime Free Lease Addendum
An agreement between a landlord and tenant that establishes the criminal and drug policies for the property being leased; typically includes the tenant agreeing not to engage in or enable criminal activity on the premises.Crime Victim Advocate
Trained advocates who can provide support and information to victims of crime. An agreement between a landlord and tenant that establishes the criminal and drug policies for the property being leased; typically includes the tenant agreeing not to engage in or enable criminal activity on the premises.Criminal Justice
The system of law enforcement that administers all stages of criminal proceedings and punishment.Crisis
A time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.Cure
(1) To pay all the back payments, interest, and legal fees before the foreclosure process reaches the auctioning of the home. (2) To eliminate or correct a violation or defect.Custody
For minor children of the parties, the court will order who has the authority to make decisions about the children’s major life issues, such as education, medical care, and religion.Cyberbullying
The use of electronic communication to harm, intimidate, or coerce a person.D
DCSS
Division of Child Support Services; the division of DES charged with the statewide administration and operation of IV-D child support programs.De-escalation
Measures taken to reduce the intensity of a conflict or potentially violent situation.Debt
Something, typically money, that is owed or due.Debt Collection
The process of pursuing payments of debts owed by individuals or businesses.Debt Division
The court's decision on how to split and assign responsibility of the parties’ community debt (the debt incurred during the marriage) to the couple getting divorced.Deed of Trust
(1) A real-estate transaction used in place of a mortgage where a lender gives the borrower money and the title of the property is given to a trustee. (2) An agreement between a lender and a borrower to give the title of a property to a neutral third party who will serve as a trustee.Default
The failure to do something required by law or the failure to appear at a required time in legal proceedings.Defendant
The person or entity sued in a civil case or accused in a criminal case.Deferral
(1) Putting off something until a future date. (2) To postpone or delay.Degredation
To be treated or regarded with contempt or disrespect.Demoted
To give someone a lower rank or less senior position.Dependency
Cases or hearings that are initiated in the interest of children who are believed to be without proper care.Deportation
The expulsion or removal of a person or group of people from a place or country.Derivative Beneficiaries
A foreign national who is able to join on as an applicant based on their relationship to the primary applicant, such as a child being included in a parent's immigration status application.Disability
(1) A mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. (2) A physical or mental problem that makes it difficult or impossible for a person to walk, see, hear, speak, learn, or do other important things.Discovery
A pre-trial procedure in a lawsuit in which each party can obtain evidence from the other party or parties through various requests.Discrimination
The unequal or prejudicial treatment of someone based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability, age (age 40 or older), or genetic information.Disposition
The court's final determination of a lawsuit or criminal charge.Divorce
The court process to terminate or end a legal marriage.Divorce Decree
A complete court order that ends a marriage and details everything between the spouses including custody (legal decision-making), visitation (parenting time), and child support for children of the marriage, division of property and debt, spousal maintenance (alimony), and name changes.Documents
A piece of written, printed, or electronic matter that provides information or evidence or that serves as an official record.Domestic Violence
(1)A pattern of abusive behavior committed by one family or household member against another to gain or maintain control, including physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological abuse. (2) Domestic violence is any behavior the purpose of which is to gain power and control over a spouse, partner, girl/boyfriend or intimate family member.
E
Elder
A person who is older, typically over 60 years old.Elder Abuse
An umbrella term referring to any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult.Emergency Custody Order
A court order issued in situations where a child is in harm's way that typically grants sole physical and legal custody of the child to a safe parent or guardian.Emergency Guardianship
Emergency appointment of a guardian by the court during an emergency situation.Emergency Order of Protection
If the Court has closed for business, Emergency Orders of Protection are granted by a judge in writing verbally, or telephonically to protect a person who is in imminent danger of domestic violence.Enforcement of Victims' Rights
Ensuring compliance of criminal justice entities in meetings standards of victims' rights.Eviction
(1) The action of expelling someone, especially a tenant, from a property. (2) Being forced to leave a property after failing to meet a lease requirement (i.e. not paying rent.)Expenses
The cost required for something; the money spent on something.Exploitation
The illegal or improper use of a vulnerable adult or the vulnerable adult's resources for another's profit or advantage.Extreme Cruelty
Being the victim of any act or a threatened act of violence, including any forceful detention, psychological abuse and sexual violence, which results or threatens to result in physical or mental injury.F
Family and Medical Leave Act
A federal law that allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for certain family and medical reasons while keeping their job and position at work.Financial Fraud
Occurs when someone takes money or other assets through deception or criminal activity.Financial Scam
Occurs when someone takes money or other assets through a dishonest scheme; a fraud.Foreclosure
The action of the lendor taking possession of a mortgaged property when the mortgagor fails to keep up their mortgage payments.Forms
Fillable paperwork required for starting actions in family court.G
Genetic Information
Information about an individual's genetic tests and the genetic tests of an individual's family members, as well as information about the manifestation of a disease or disorder in an individual's family.Good Moral Character
Conduct that measures up to the standards of average citizens of the community in which the applicant resides.Government Benefits
Programs administered by the state to help people pay for food, housing, health care, and other basic living expenses (subject to eligibility requirements).Green Card
A permit allowing a foreign national to live and work permanently in the United States.Guardianship
When a guardian is granted legal authority to care for the personal and property interests of another person (a ward).