Even Indigent Families Must Pay for Their Child’s Attorney in Most States, Report Says

Julie Miller, JJIE •

“It’s important to focus on the cost of counsel because it impedes a young person’s ability to have a fair trial,” said staff attorney Nadia Mozaffar. “Any time you touch the juvenile justice system, you need an attorney, while other costs are only implicated when a child is placed in custody or services.”

About the Expert

Nadia Mozaffar is a Senior Attorney at Juvenile Law Center. Her work focuses on advancing educational rights and opportunities for children in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, economic justice issues, and protecting the rights of young people in the adult justice system.