Opinion ID: 6357816
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: 355C Mother's Self-Representation

Text: [¶ 14] The mother next argues that the court erred when it declined to allow her attorney to withdraw, at the mother's request, and instead ordered her attorney to be standby counsel while the mother represented herself at the December 2017 termination proceeding. We review the denial of a party's motion to dismiss counsel for an abuse of discretion. In re T.B. , 2013 ME 49 , ¶¶ 13-21, 65 A.3d 1282 . Although we have held that criminal defendants possess a constitutional right to pursue self-representation, 1 State v. Hofland , 2012 ME 129 , ¶ 14, 58 A.3d 1023 , there is no equivalent right held by a civil defendant such as the mother in this case. See In re Penelope W. , 2011 ME 58 , ¶ 9, 19 A.3d 813 . Accordingly, the court did not abuse its discretion by denying the mother's motion to proceed without counsel. See In re T.B. , 2013 ME 49 , ¶¶ 13-22, 65 A.3d 1282 .