Arizona Laws 8-115. Hearing; procedure; record; evidence
A. The court shall hold a hearing on a petition filed pursuant to this article in as informal a manner as the requirements of due process and fairness permit. The prospective adoptive parent, the spouse of a prospective adoptive parent and the child to be adopted shall attend unless the court orders otherwise. The court shall allow persons who have a direct interest in the case, including invited guests of the adoptive family, to attend the hearing. The attendees shall not disclose the content of testimony provided at the hearing. Nothing in this subsection restricts the ability for the juvenile court or clerk of the court to communicate relevant case information with the family court or clerk of the court. The court may require the presence of other witnesses as it deems necessary.
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 8-115
- Child: means any person under eighteen years of age. See Arizona Laws 8-101
- court: means the juvenile division of the superior court. See Arizona Laws 8-101
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- juvenile: means an individual who is under eighteen years of age. See Arizona Laws 8-201
- Petition: means a written statement of the essential facts that allege delinquency, incorrigibility or dependency. See Arizona Laws 8-201
- Process: means a citation, writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
B. The court shall make its findings based on a preponderance of the evidence. The court may consider any and all reports required by this article or ordered by the court pursuant to this article.