VICE CHIEF JUSTICE PELANDER , opinion of the Court: 1 After the Arizona Department of Child Safety ("DCS") initiates proceedings to terminate parental rights by motion under A.R.S. 8-862(D), if a parent fails to appear at a termination adjudication hearing without good cause, Arizona law vests the juvenile court with discretion to find that the parent has waived his or her legal rights and admitted the motion's allegations. A.R.S. 8-863(C); Ariz. R.P. Juv. Ct. ("Rule") 66(D)(2). We...
JUSTICE BOLICK , opinion of the Court: 1 We consider in this case whether the state must prove that a defendant knew an item he possessed was "contraband" to convict the defendant under A.R.S. 13-2505(A) of knowingly possessing contraband while being confined in a correctional facility or transported to it. We hold that when such a defendant possesses an item that is statutorily defined as contraband, the state need prove only that the defendant knowingly possessed the item, not that...
