Parent and Child Legal Representation Commission

Current understanding

A proposed statutory commission would oversee indigent legal representation for parents and children in Michigan (typically in child protective proceedings and related family court matters). SB 0885 (introduced) would create the commission as a new act, establishing standards and structure for appointed counsel serving indigent parents and children. Status: introduced; no appropriation or effective date confirmed in this finding.

Evidence log

• 2025-02-12 — Courts: other; Michigan indigent defense commission act; expand duties to include indigent defense of youth. Amends title & secs. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 21 & 23 of 2013 PA 93 (MCL 780.983 et seq.) & adds sec. 14.: cross-connection with indigent-defense-youth: Both proposals extend state-level indigent defense oversight to minors — HB 4070 folds youth defense into the existing MIDC framework, while the parent-child legal representation commission would create a separate body for parent/child representation in child-welfare cases. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-03-25 — Criminal procedure: indigent defense; parent and child legal representation commission; create. Creates new act.: cross-connection with indigent-defense-youth: Both establish/expand commission-based oversight of indigent legal representation in Michigan — the youth indigent defense framework under MIDC and the new parent-and-child representation commission would operate as parallel structures for court-appointed counsel. (novelty: 3)

Open questions

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