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

Massachusetts , Legislation , Truancy - Petition Against Child

Truancy is treated as a “child requiring assistance” matter, pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws. Ch. 119 § 21.  And under Mass. Gen. Laws. Ch. 119 § 39F, children unable to retain counsel have a right to appointed counsel in such matters.

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.
© 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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