Full Statute Name:  Arizona Revised Statutes Annotated. Title 8. Child Safety. Chapter 3. Juvenile Offenders. Article 7. Victims' Rights for Juvenile Offenses. § 8-422. Use of a facility dog in court proceedings; definition

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Primary Citation:  A. R. S. § 8-422 Country of Origin:  United States Last Checked:  August, 2023 Alternate Citation:  AZ ST § 8-422 Date Adopted:  2016 Historical: 
Summary: This Arizona law states that a court shall allow a facility dog to accompany a victim who is under 18 while he or she is testifying in court. A party seeking the use of a facility dog must file a notice with the court that includes the certification of the facility dog, the name of the person or entity who certified the dog and evidence that the facility dog is insured. It is discretionary for the court to allow a facility dog for a victim over the age of 18.

A. The court shall allow a victim who is under eighteen years of age to have a facility dog, if available, accompany the victim while testifying in court. A party seeking the use of a facility dog must file a notice with the court that includes the certification of the facility dog, the name of the person or entity who certified the dog and evidence that the facility dog is insured.

B. The court may allow a victim who is eighteen years of age or more or a witness to use a facility dog.

C. To ensure that the presence of a facility dog assisting a victim or a witness does not influence the jury or is not a reflection on the truthfulness of any testimony that is offered by the victim or witness, the court shall instruct the jury on the role of the facility dog and that the facility dog is a trained animal.

D. For the purposes of this section, “facility dog” means a dog that is a graduate of an assistance dog organization that is a member of an organization or entity whose main purpose is to improve the areas of training, placement and utilization of assistance dogs, staff and volunteer education and to establish and promote standards of excellence in all areas of assistance dog acquisition, training and partnership.

Credits

Added by Laws 2016, Ch. 135, § 1.

 

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