Juvenile Law Center filed an amicus brief in the Ohio Supreme in a matter involving whether juveniles should be allowed to waive counsel at any stage of delinquency proceedings, whether parents should be allowed to waive their children’s right to counsel, and whether parents can play the role of counsel.
Juvenile Law Center’s amicus brief detailed the important roles of counsel from a youth’s first contact with the juvenile justice system through direct appeal. The brief included the voices of lawyers across the country who represented children at various stages of delinquency proceedings. These attorneys shared how their representation made a concrete and significant difference in the lives of their clients.
The Ohio Supreme Court held that juveniles are not permitted to “waive” (i.e., give up) their constitutional right to counsel unless the trial court conducts an analysis of each youth’s background and experience generally and in the court system specifically.
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