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.
Information to complete the forms should be TYPED rather than handwritten.
To file for an appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court you will need:
- Time and patience
- Case number
- Name of the court
- Name of the case
- A copy of the Court of Appeals decision
- Court transcripts of previous trials pertaining to the appeal or details of the transcript order with expected date of completion
- If requesting a fee waiver or deferral, monthly income statements, monthly expenses, and current assets
- Costs associated with the trial
Documents should be submitted using paperclips, binder clips, or rubber bands; staples or hole making fasteners and adhesive materials are highly discouraged.
Required formatting for the Petition for Review and the Response to the Petition for Review:
- Typed
- Handwritten may be allowed if printed legibly
- 8.5x11, white paper
- Printed single-sided
- 14 size, monospaced, font
- 1" margins
- Double spaced
- Headings, quotations, and footnotes can be single spaced and indented
- Referred to cases must be in italics
- Headings must be underlines, in italics, or in bold
- Pages numbered
- No longer than 3,500 words (12 handwritten pages)
- Table of contents, table of citations, certificate of compliance, and appendix are not included in the count
- A Cross-Petition, combined with a Response to a Petition for Review may not exceed 6,500 words