Child Custody

questions & answers

Question: how do I get a court appointed lawyer. I have filled out all of the papers and had the mother served. she has not responded yet but she does have a lawyer

Answer: Typically an attorney is appointed to a client in a criminal matter. This is to ensure there is a protection of person’s sixth amendment right under the Constitution – a right to a speedy and public trial. Unfortunately, if you are not involved in a criminal matter there is not anything found in the law that says an individual is entitled to a court appointed attorney. However, you may want to contact Community Legal Service (CLS) to determine if they may be able to provide you with assistance. Information can be found at: http://clsaz.org/. CLS offers free services for those individuals who qualify. Also assistance may be available to people through AZLawHelp.org, with the modest means program. Here, you can apply for services and depending on your income you can be paired with an attorney at a reduced rate. A person may not be entitled to a court appointed outside the criminal legal area, but assistance is available to all persons in all areas of law.