Rule 36 Right to Counsel

If a child is facing a delinquency case in family court, the child and their parents or guardians must be told about the right to have a lawyer. This notice has to be given to whoever the child lives with, not just the parents. It makes clear that the child doesn't have to face the case alone.

If the family can't afford a lawyer, the court will appoint one to represent the child for free. This ensures every child has legal help during the case, no matter the family's financial situation. The court handles the process of assigning an attorney when needed.

In some cases, the court can still appoint a lawyer for the child even if the parents could pay for one themselves. When this happens, the court has the option to charge the parents for the cost of that lawyer. This means the family may still end up responsible for the legal fees, even though the court chose the attorney.