Section 10. Definitions

Part I. General Definitions

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall apply unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Advisory council" means a locally appointed body with a specific purpose to advise the governing board of a local CASA program.

"CASA" means court-appointed special advocate.

"CASA program" means any locally operated court-appointed special advocate program which utilizes court-appointed volunteers to assist in judicial proceedings involving allegations that a child is abused, neglected, in need of services, or in need of supervision and for whom a Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court judge determines such services are appropriate.

"Case" means a child for whom a Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court judge has entered an order of appointment for a CASA volunteer.

"DCJS" means the Department of Criminal Justice Services.

"Director" means the director or coordinator of a local CASA program responsible for the day-to-day operations of the local CASA program.

"Governing board" means the oversight body responsible for the local CASA program. This may be a city council, county board of supervisors or the board of directors of a nonprofit organization.

"Staff advocate" means an employee of the CASA program who serves, in lieu of a CASA volunteer, as the assigned advocate for a case.

"Volunteer" means a court-appointed special advocate.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR240-04-3 § 1.1, eff. July 1, 1992; amended, Volume 14, Issue 05, eff. December 24, 1997; Volume 25, Issue 02, eff. October 29, 2008.

Statutory Authority

§ 9.1-151 of the Code of Virginia.