§ 1-111 Commission on Victims in the Courts

A. General Purpose. The Commission on Victims in the Courts (COVIC) is established as a standing committee of the Arizona Judicial Council (AJC). The commission shall:

1. Advise the council on matters affecting victims’ rights and the administration of justice;

2. Make recommendations to the committee on continuing education and training and the AJC regarding training and education for judges and court personnel on victims’ rights and appropriate treatment of victims;

3. Work with the committee on probation and other court committees and entities as necessary to promote the improved collection and disbursement of victim restitution;

4. Serve as the judicial branch liaison to other established victims’ advocacy organizations; and

5. Make other recommendations to the AJC that preserve the rights afforded to victims in Az. Const. Art. 2, § 2.1 and ACJA § 5-204.

B. Membership and Terms. The chief justice shall appoint a chair and members of the commission for terms of varying lengths and may reappoint members for successive terms. The membership is comprised of court and non-court personnel. The court membership includes superior and limited court jurisdiction representatives. The non-court membership includes representatives from victim advocacy organizations, public members and victim rights agencies to include: law enforcement, prosecution agencies and defense counsel. Other members may be appointed at the chief justice’s discretion.

C. Responsibility of Members. Commission members shall attend and actively participate in COVIC meetings and shall serve on COVIC advisory committees as necessary. A member may designate a proxy, subject to the requirements of ACJA § 1-104 (D) and in conjunction with COVIC procedures described in subsection (F).

D. Organization. The chief justice shall appoint the chair of COVIC and other leadership as needed to organize commission affairs. The chair may appoint advisory committees as necessary to assist in commission business.

E. Meetings. The commission shall meet no less than three times a year. Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the chair. All meetings shall be noticed and conducted in compliance with the judicial department’s open meeting policy, as prescribed in ACJA § 1- 202.

F. Quorum and Actions. The commission must not conduct business unless a quorum of members is present as defined in ACJA § 1-202. The commission shall adopt procedural rules for conducing commission business. The rules shall prescribe proxy use and the majority needed to authorize commission meeting actions.

G. Staff. Under the direction of the chief justice, the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) shall provide staff to the commission and may conduct or coordinate commission- recommended research.

H. Funding. The commission, with the assistance of AOC, may seek grant funding from local, state and national organizations to conduct or coordinate management projects and research studies as recommended by the commission. To the extent available, supreme court funds may also be used to partially or fully fund the commission’s expenses. Adopted by Administrative Order 2006-25 effective March 10, 2006. Amended by Administrative Order 2026-90, effective July 8, 2026.