Discretionary appointment of counsel
Arkansas
,
Legislation
, Termination of Parental Rights (State) - Children
While Ark. Stat. § 9-27-316(f)(1) requires appointment of an attorney-GAL when an abuse/neglect petition is filed, it makes no mention of appointment in termination of parental rights matters (unlike sections relating to the parents’ right to counsel. See Ark. Stat. § 9-27-316[h][1][D]). But subsection (f)(2) states, “The court may appoint an attorney ad litem to represent the best interest of a juvenile involved in any case before the court and shall consider the juvenile’s best interest in determining whether to appoint an attorney ad litem.”
Appointment of Counsel: Discretionary
Qualified: Yes
