ARS 13-4442: Use of a facility dog in court proceedings
The complete text of A.R.S. § 13-4442 on use of a facility dog in court proceedings, and how this section is used in Arizona criminal cases. It defines terms and procedure rather than creating an offense.
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Full Text of A.R.S. § 13-4442
A.R.S. § 13-4442 is the Arizona statute on use of a facility dog in court proceedings. It sets out procedure and rules rather than defining an offense, so no offense class or sentence attaches to this section on its own.
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.
Source: Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-4442, Arizona Legislative Council revision of 09/19/25. Read the official text on azleg.gov. Statutes change; verify the current version before relying on it.
Related Statutes in Chapter 40 — Crime Victims’ Rights
How § 13-4442 Affects an Arizona Case
§ 13-4442 usually matters because of how it interacts with the charge someone is actually facing. We read it alongside the charging statute, because a definition or a procedural rule frequently decides what the State must prove, what a judge may impose, or what relief is available afterward.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is A.R.S. § 13-4442?
A.R.S. § 13-4442 is the Arizona statute on use of a facility dog in court proceedings. It sets out rules that apply across Arizona criminal cases rather than defining a single offense.
Where can I read the official text of § 13-4442?
The Arizona Legislature publishes it at azleg.gov, in the revision dated 09/19/25. The complete text is reproduced on this page, and every Arizona criminal statute is searchable on our Arizona Criminal Code index.
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