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

Federal, Legislation, Abuse/Neglect/Dependency - Children
Federal legislation requires states to appoint either a court-appointed special advocate or attorney for children in child welfare cases.

42 USc § 5106(b)(2)(B)(xiii)
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.
© 2003-2026 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.

About Us
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About Civil RTC
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Events
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Status Map Bibliographies Advocacy Tools Key Issue: Tenant RTC
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Status Map