Right to counsel

Virginia , Legislation , Truancy - Petition Against Child

Va. Code § 22.1-267 provides that truancy is treated as a “child in need of supervision” matter.  In turn, Va. Code § 16.1-266(B) provides that counsel must be appointed for all children prior to any detention hearing, while Va. Code § 16.1-266(C) adds that the court must appoint counsel for indigent children subsequent to the detention hearing prior to any adjudicatory or transfer hearing.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes
Qualified: No
? 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.