Ensuring individuals have a right to effective counsel when facing the loss of their basic human needs in the civil legal system.

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Right to counsel

Tennessee , Legislation , Termination of Parental Rights (State) - Children

Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-149 requires the court to appoint a GAL for the child in juvenile court proceedings.  Tn. R. S. Ct. Rule 40(b)(1) defines “guardian ad litem” as “a lawyer appointed by the court to advocate for the best interests of a child and to ensure that the child’s concerns and preferences are effectively advocated.” 

Appointment of Counsel: Yes
Qualified: Yes
? If "yes", the established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including any of: the only authority is a lower/intermediate court decision or a city council, not a high court or state legislature; there has been a subsequent case that has cast doubt; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all types of individuals or proceedings within that category.
© 2003-2024 National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel

The NCCRC works to advance the right to counsel for low-income people in civil cases involving basic human needs, such as housing, health, domestic violence, civil incarceration, and child custody.

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