Opinion ID: 2275396
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Dependency Representation Rights

Text: In Carolyn S.S., in the context of a termination proceeding, this Court held that Article I, Section 9 in the Delaware Constitution provides the same due process guarantees as the United States Constitution: a Delaware trial judge must decide whether to appoint counsel for indigent parents in a termination proceeding by applying the Eldridge factors on a case-by-case basis. [32] In this appeal, we hold that the same due process guarantee in the Delaware Constitution requires a trial judge to decide whether to appoint counsel for indigent parents in a dependency and neglect proceeding on a case-by-case basis. In Brown, this Court held that the due process guarantee in Article I, Section 9 of the Delaware Constitution requires that notice of the right to counsel and how to exercise that right must be given to parents when a petition is filed for the termination of parental rights. [33] In this appeal, we hold that same due process guarantee in the Delaware Constitution requires similar notice to be given to parents when a petition for dependency and neglect is filed. The procedures that are reflected in the facts underlying this appeal are no longer followed in the Family Court. In fact, today's holding is consistent with the current practices and rules of the Family Court. [34] At the present time, the Family Court routinely appoints counsel to represent indigent parents in dependency and neglect proceedings. Although the General Assembly has not enacted a statute establishing such a right for indigent parents, it has begun to provide limited funding to the Family Court for the purpose of appointing attorneys to represent indigent parents in dependency and neglect proceedings. In the future, the General Assembly will be called upon to provide funding to the extent that the Family Court determines, probably routinely, that the due process provisions in the United States Constitution and the Delaware Constitution require the appointment of counsel to represent indigent parents when dependency and neglect proceedings are initiated by the State.