Adoptions
Adoption petitions for minors must be filed with the Juvenile Department. Adoption provides permanency to children.
Delinquency
Youth (under the age of 18) who are alleged to have committed an offense in Maricopa County will have the case heard before the Juvenile Department.
Dependency
Dependency cases are about the safety of children and often involves the Department of Child Safety (DCS). In these cases, the Juvenile Court may step in for safeguarding.
Emancipations
Youth who are independent can petition the court for an order to give them full legal rights of adulthood.
Guardianships
The court can appoint a guardian for a child when a caregiver is needed. These can be done by parental consent or through a dependency case.
Injunctions Against Harassment (JP)
If a child is under 12 and has been accused of harassing another person, the petition is heard before the Juvenile Department.
Severance
A petition to terminate a parent-child relationship must be filed in the Juvenile Department.
