(a) Whenever circumstances subject a child to the jurisdiction of the court under Alaska Stat. § 47.10.005 – 47.10.142, the court shall appoint a competent person or agency to make a preliminary inquiry and report for the information of the court to determine whether the best interests of the child require that further action be taken. The court shall make the appointment on its own motion or at the request of a person or agency having knowledge of the child’s circumstances. If, under this subsection, the court appoints a person or agency to make a preliminary inquiry and to report to it, or if the department is conducting an investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect, the court may issue any orders necessary to aid the person, the agency, or the department in its investigation or in making the preliminary inquiry and report. Upon receipt of the report under this subsection, the court may

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Terms Used In Alaska Statutes 47.10.020

  • action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • child: means a person who is
    (A) under 18 years of age. See Alaska Statutes 47.10.990
  • court: means the superior court of the state. See Alaska Statutes 47.10.990
  • department: means the Department of Family and Community Services. See Alaska Statutes 47.10.990
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, business trust, or society, as well as a natural person. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
  • state: means the State of Alaska unless applied to the different parts of the United States and in the latter case it includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
(1) close the matter without a court hearing;
(2) determine whether the best interests of the child require that further action be taken; or
(3) authorize the person or agency having knowledge of the facts of the case to file with the court a petition setting out the facts.
(b) The petition and all subsequent pleadings shall be styled as follows: “In the matter of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., a child under 18 years of age.” The petition may be executed upon the petitioner’s information and belief and must be verified. It must include the following information:

(1) the name, address, and occupation of the petitioner, together with the petitioner’s relationship to the child, and the petitioner’s interest in the matter;
(2) the name, age, and address of the child;
(3) a brief statement of the facts that bring the child within this chapter;
(4) the names and addresses of the child’s parents;
(5) the tribal affiliation, if known, of the child;
(6) the name and address of the child’s guardian or of the person having control or custody of the child.
(c) If the petitioner does not know a fact required in this section, the petitioner shall so state in the petition.
(d)[Repealed, Sec. 55 ch 59 SLA 1996].
(e) Nothing in this section requires the department to obtain authorization from the court before

(1) conducting an investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect; or
(2) filing a petition.
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