Superior Court Appellate Process
Adoption Petitions
Anyone with legal residency in the United States, who is 21 years old or younger, living in Arizona when an adoption petition is filed may be adopted.
W
Adoption proceedings are brought in the county where the child is a ward or where the petitioner lives.
Eligibility
Any adult residing in Arizona is eligible to adopt, as long as they qualify. Heterosexual couples may jointly adopt a child.
Resources
State Statute - A.R.S. § 8-105
State Statute - A.R.S. § 36-1681
Guardianship of an Incapacitated Adult Thru Court Order
Petition
Court appointment of a guardian for an alleged incapacitated person is more involved than appointment in the case of a minor. A formal hearing must be started by petitioning the Court for either a limited or general guardianship.
Limited guardianship - allows the guardian to only manage some of the affairs of the ward
General guardianship - gives the guardian the right to to manage all business and personal matters for the ward
Hearing
There must be a hearing in the county the person lives in to determine if the adult is incapacitated and unable to take care of themselves without a guardian. The adult in question must be served personally at least 14 days before the hearing. Notice of a hearing on determining their capacity must also be given to, if applicable, their:
- Spouse
- Parents
- Adult children
- Anyone serving as conservator
- Person who has care and custody
Court Hearing Rights of the Alleged Incapacitated Person
They have the same rights of due process:
- to appear in person
- to be represented by counsel
- to present evidence
- to cross-examine
- to request a jury trial
The Court will assign:
- A lawyer (if they do not have one of their own)
- An "investigator" to interview the people involved and visit the living situation. This person is typically someone in social services, a nurse, or someone trained in the law and an officer, employee, or appointee of the Court
- An "examiner" to give a medical exam of the incapacitated person. This person is a doctor, psychologist, or registered nurse.
Bond
A bond may be required by the guardian, but are not mandated in every situation. Normally a conservator is appointed if the ward owns a large amount of property or income (typically, larger than $10,000 a year). The guardian has a right to receive funds and benefits, but if the amount is large, the Court will require a bond.
Si presentó un alegado de no responsable, pero no puede comparecer en el tribunal para una Audiencia de Tráfico Civil, puede solicitar una audiencia documental.
Proceso de audiencia documental:
- Solicite al tribunal si esta es una opción
- Declárese no responsable y solicite una audiencia documental
- Presente una solicitud escrita con el tribunal indicando por qué será una dificultad significativa que pueda comparecer en persona
- Si es aprobada, presente una declaración escrita legalizada conforme las políticas del tribunal que detalle los hechos de su caso y su situación
- Junto con su declaración, el tribunal puede solicitar un depósito de TODO el importe de la multa en su infracción (esto se reintegrará si tiene éxito en su audiencia)
- Será notificado por correo después de la audiencia en relación al resultado de la audiencia
Temas a considerar:
- Las Normas de Arizona para los procedimientos garantizan el derecho a audiencia y lo que es más importante, contrainterrogan, testimonio presentado por el estado. En general, esto implica poder cuestionar al funcionario de infracciones. Si no está presente, renunciará a este derecho y no tendrá la oportunidad.
- Toda la evidencia presentada debe ser pertinente, material y con efecto probatorio a los hechos en la audiencia. Si no está allí, no podrá expresar una objeción a ninguna evidencia que el estado intente presentar. Tampoco podrá responder a las objeciones a evidencias que pueda presentar en su declaración.
- 3. Alguien que está presente puede responder las preguntas y aclarar todas las partes de su testimonio. Asimismo, cuenta con la ventaja de que su testimonio sea ponderado por igual con los demás testimonios presentados por el estado.
Al solicitar una audiencia de tráfico civil, ingresa un alegato de «no responsable» y abandona su posibilidad de asistir a un programa de conducción defensivo.
Nota: Si no puede asistir en persona, el tribunal puede ofrecerle audiencias telefónicas o audiencias documentales. Debe comunicarse con el tribunal ANTES de la fecha de su infracción para averiguar sus políticas y procedimientos.
Si «no es responsable»:
- Solicite una audiencia al marcar 1 - en un formulario de solicitud de audiencia (encontrado en una tarjeta de bonificación o programada) con sello postal en o antes de su fecha de comparecimiento o 2 - comparecer en el tribunal en o antes de la fecha de sus infracciones
- El secretario del Tribunal entonces programará una fecha de la audiencia
- Informar al tribunal lo antes posible si
- Existen testigos que debe citar a la audiencia (las solicitudes deben recibirse al menos con 14 días de anticipación)
- Necesita un intérprete en el sitio u otro asistente, que no sea legal
- Deberá usar un equipo para presentar evidencia. La mayoría de los tribunales tienen proyectores y capacidades de computación.
- Algunos tribunales permiten que se presente antes de su fecha de tribunal para familiarizarse con el funcionamiento del equipo, por lo cual le sugerimos pregunte
- Reúna todas las pruebas que respalden los hechos en su caso (no sus sentimientos)
- Haga copias - necesitará al menos 2 copias (más el original) de cada evidencia que desee ingresar 1 - para el tribunal 1 - para la otra parte y 1 - para usted
- Asista a la audiencia del tribunal
- Sea puntual
- Vístase prolijamente
- Averigüe si se permite el ingreso de niños a la sala del tribunal
- Prepárese para informar al juez por qué no es responsable de lo que está en la infracción
*Si no se presenta, será responsable y se dictará un fallo a favor del estado y será responsable de todo el costo de la multa de tráfico o infracción. Los puntos podrán agregarse a su registro de manejo y se informará a su aseguradora, según la infracción.*
Each case number begins with a letter or letters (example: CR-200500311)
The alpha designators in case numbers are indicators for the court's filings. For the Arizona Superior Court the designators are as follows. Keep in mind that many courts use the same designations.
- C or CV- Civil
- CR- Criminal
- D-Divorce
- RD- Reciprocal Divorce
- DR- Domestic Relations
- FC- Family Court
- FN- Family Court w/ No Children
- LCA- Lower Court Appeal
- CJ-Lower Court Assessment
- MH- Mental Health
- MS- Mental Sexuality
- P or PB- Probate
- ST- Small Tax
- SW- Search Warrant
- TA- Tax Appeal
- T- Transcript of Judgement
- M- Marriage License
- AA- Adult Adoption
- AC- Adoption Certificate
- JA- Juvenile Adoption
- JD- Juvenile Dependency
- JE- Juvenile Emancipation
- JG- Juvenile Guardianship
- J- Juvenile
Process Checklist for the Judgment Creditor in a Garnishment of Non-Earnings
A non-earnings garnishment targets personal property belonging to a person who owes money, or money other than wages that is owed to the debtor by a third person. Some examples of non-earnings include money in a bank account, the contents of a safe deposit box, a rent payment owed but not yet paid, or an account receivable.
Property that is not earnings may be subject to garnishment, however, not all property can be garnished, and certain non-earnings property is protected (see A.R.S. Title 33, Chapter 8). For example, a judgment creditor who garnishes a bank account may only take the money that is in the account on the day the Writ of Garnishment is served on the bank. If the garnishee deposits new money in the account, a new garnishment action must be filed to collect them. In addition, the first $300 per person, per bank account is protected from garnishment. If persons other than the judgment debtor(s) is/are on the account, a hearing may be held to determine the share of each account (A.R.S. § 12-1595).
STEP 1: Review the forms and instructions in the packet
To garnish a bank account or other form of property other than wages, you will be working with the following forms in the packet (the number of each form appears in the bottom left corner of each page): FORMS 1 through 16.
STEP 2: Apply to the court for a writ of garnishment and serve the required forms on the garnishee
To begin your garnishment action, complete and file an Application for Writ of Garnishment. There is a fee for filing this form. If you cannot pay the fee, it may be deferred if you qualify.
Fill out and file with the Court the Application for Writ of Garnishment (Non-Earnings), and the Writ of Garnishment and Summons (Non-Earnings). If you are filing your application in a Superior Court, the Clerk of the Court will sign the writ and summons. If you are filing your application in a Municipal or Justice of the Peace Court, the Judge or Justice of the Peace or Clerk will sign the Writ and Summons form you have filed. After the Judge or Clerk has signed FORM 2 and it has been returned to you, you must serve the documents listed below on the garnishee. The number of copies to be served is indicated for each form. You must fill out the caption – and only the caption – on FORMS 4, 7, 8, and 9 before serving them on the garnishee.
- Writ of Garnishment and Summons (Non-Earnings) – 2 copies
- Instructions to Garnishee (Non-Earnings) – 1 copy
- Garnishee’s Answer (Non-Earnings) – 4 copies
- Notice to Judgment Debtor of Garnishment (Non-Earnings) – 2 copies
- Request for Hearing – 2 copies
- Notice of Hearing on Garnishment (Non-Earnings) – 2 copies
- The judgment awarding you money against the judgment debtor – 1 copy
You will pay a fee for service of these documents. A private process server, a constable from the Court or a deputy sheriff can serve them for you. You may be able to recover the amount of money you pay to serve these forms at the end of the proceeding. If you cannot afford to pay the service fee, you may qualify for deferral of the payment. Private process servers do not accept deferrals.
For specific information on how to serve these documents on a financial institution, refer to A.R.S. §12-1577.
STEP 3: Wait for garnishee’s Answer
By law, the garnishee is to complete and file a Garnishee Answer with the Court within 10 business days, beginning with the first business day after service on the garnishee. Do not take any further steps in this process until this time period has been completed or until you receive a copy of the Garnishee Answer, if that occurs sooner. If the time period has expired and you still have not received a copy of the Answer from the garnishee, contact the Court to see if an Answer has been filed.
STEP 4A [IF APPLICABLE]: If the garnishee does not file an Answer
Complete and file a Petition for Order to Show Cause Regarding Garnishee’s Default and Order to Show Cause (FORMS 10 and 11). This is a request to the Court to order the garnishee to appear and answer. The Court may then order the garnishee to appear for a hearing and explain why no Answer was filed. If a hearing date is set, you must serve the Petition and the signed Order to Show Cause on the garnishee using one of the service methods listed in STEP 2 (service by process server, constable, or deputy sheriff). You must also deliver a copy of the Petition and signed Order to Show Cause to the judgment debtor by mail or hand delivery. At the hearing, the Judge may order the garnishee to pay the judgment creditor up to the total amount owed by the judgment debtor.
STEP 4B [IF APPLICABLE]: If the garnishee claims to hold no property of the judgment debtor
The garnishee who holds no property of the judgment debtor can ask the Court to make the judgment creditor pay for the reasonable expenses of the garnishee related to responding to a Writ of Garnishment. For this reason, before beginning a garnishment, the judgment creditor should take precautions to ensure the person or organization named as the garnishee does in fact possess property of the judgment debtor.
STEP 4C [IF APPLICABLE]: If the garnishee claims to hold property of the judgment debtor
Wait 10 more business days to see whether the debtor files a Request for Hearing on Garnishment (FORM 8). If the judgment debtor does not request a hearing within 10 business days of the filing of the Garnishee’s Answer, complete and file an Application for Garnishment Judgment (Non-Earnings) (FORM 5). Also file a Garnishment Judgment (Non-Earnings) (FORM 6) for the Judge to sign.
Mail or personally deliver copies of these forms to the garnishee and to the judgment debtor before you file them with the Court. Once the Judge signs the Garnishment Judgment (Non-Earnings) (FORM 6), the Court will send a copy of the signed version of this form to those involved.
If the garnishee does not receive a copy of the signed Garnishment Judgment within 90 days of filing an Answer, you will have to begin again from the beginning, except under limited circumstances, see A.R.S. § 12-1587. The writ expires 90 days after the Answer is filed with the Court in a non-earnings garnishment. Check with the Court periodically if you do not receive a signed Garnishment Judgment within 3-6 weeks after filing your Application for Garnishment Judgment (FORM 5).
STEP 5A [IF APPLICABLE]: If a request for hearing is filed to object to the garnishment
If the judgment debtor objects to the garnishment and files a Request for Hearing (Non-Earnings) (Form 8), the Court should set a hearing date within 5 days after the request is filed. The Judge may not sign the Garnishment Judgment (FORM 6) until the hearing has been held. Some of the more common objections include: lack of notice, lack of jurisdiction, invalid or satisfied judgment, exempt money is being garnished ($300 in bank account, welfare, worker compensation, child support or other potentially exempt monies), or exempt property is being garnished. There may be other reasons as well. Additional information concerning exemptions can be found at A.R.S. §§ 33-1101–1130. It is important for the judgment creditor to attend this hearing.
STEP 5B [IF APPLICABLE]: WHAT TO DO IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH CLAIMS MADE IN THE GARNISHEE’S ANSWER OR DO NOT RECEIVE ANY NON-EARNINGS PROPERTY FROM THE GARNISHEE
A judgment creditor who does not agree with the Garnishee Answer, or does not receive any property from the garnishee to which the judgment creditor is entitled can file a Request for Hearing (FORM 14) and the Court will hold a hearing on the request.
If you desire to release the garnishee and/or judgment debtor from the garnishment:
- The Petition and Order Discharging Garnishee (FORMS 12 & 13) can be used to release the garnishee who turns over property in response to the Writ of Garnishment or in other appropriate circumstances. Once it is filed, mail a copy to the garnishee, the judgment debtor and any other creditor who has asked to be notified. This can be done even if the garnishee’s payment does not completely satisfy the judgment debtor’s debt.
- A Satisfaction of Judgment (FORM 16) can be filed with the Court to establish that the judgment has been fully paid off or otherwise satisfied. Mail a copy to the judgment debtor.
Resources
Garnishment of Non-Earning Forms