08/01/16
Bench Card
In partnership with the National Juvenile Defender Center, this information card highlights due process and the right to counsel; ethical standards; and key elements of ensuring meaningful access to counsel for juveniles at the initial appointment. Every jurisdiction is different and has different resources and laws governing whether children have access to counsel and at what stage in the proceedings. It is hoped that to the extent the recommendations cannot be fully implemented within your jurisdiction, they can at least set aspirational goals for changes in practice which, with judicial leadership, could be implemented in the future.