Civil RTC News
This page lists all of the most recent developments on civil right to counsel across the country. These could be newly created rights to counsel, significant publications, public events, advocacy efforts, or other things that don’t fit into a neat category.
Survey: Americans overwhelmingly support right to counsel in civil cases
A survey conducted by Voices for Civil Justice reveals that Americans strongly support a right to counsel in civil cases.
US Commission on Civil Rights calls for counsel in fees/fines cases
The US Commission on Civil Rights released a report regarding the need for counsel prior to incarceration for failure to pay fees/fines.
Conference of State Court Administrators urges counsel for all child welfare cases
COSCA has released a new child welfare policy urging all state courts to provide counsel for parents and children in child welfare cases.
ABA resolution calls for right to counsel in immigration cases
ABA Resolution 115, adopted at the 2017 ABA Annual conference, supports a right to counsel in immigration court.
NCCRC Coordinator appears on WNPR’s “Where We Live” program
NCCRC Coordinator John Pollock was on WNPR's "Where We Live" program to discuss the right to counsel in civil cases.
UN report raises need for counsel in all detention cases
A report by the UN Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention discussed the need for counsel whenever a person faces any kind of detention.
Baltimore Sun turns focus to rise of civil right to counsel housing legislation
An article in the Baltimore Sun looked at bills filed at the city level in NYC, Washington D.C., and elsewhere to provide counsel for tenants.
New Nevada law guarantees counsel for children in termination proceedings
A court must appoint counsel for a child in a state-initiated termination proceeding, and may appoint in a private termination.
Arkansas parents entitled to counsel at emergency child welfare hearing
A bill passed in 2017 requires parents to be appointed counsel at an emergency ex parte dependency hearing.
Bipartisan call for legislative right to counsel in civil forfeiture cases continues to grow
Calls to reform civil forfeiture proceedings have come from all sides of the aisle, with legislation filed at the federal and state level.
New Utah law guarantees counsel for criminal debt collection
A 2017 law organizes all collection of criminal debt into contempt proceedings and requires the appointment of counsel.
Articles, studies make case for right to counsel in debt cases
Two new articles in the Harvard Law & Policy Review support the right to counsel in debt cases.
