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Court appointed 'minor's counsel' — what does that mean for our case?

CAquietsail1 month ago

The judge appointed minor's counsel for our 10-year-old. We have to pay for it. What should we expect?

1 reply

✓ Verified answer from a licensed attorney — shown first

Carmen Reyes avatarCarmen ReyesVerified Attorney1 month ago

Minor's counsel is an attorney whose only client is the child. They will interview your child privately, often visit both homes, talk to teachers and therapists, and write or present a report to the court. They're not bound to advocate for what the child says they want — they advocate for the child's best interest. Two ground rules from me: (1) Don't pump your child for what they told minor's counsel. (2) Don't badmouth the other parent in front of the child during this period. Minor's counsel will pick up on both immediately. The fee is typically split between parents based on income, court-ordered.

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Please readThis is a community space for sharing personal experience — it is not legal advice, and posts here are not from Lawma or your attorney. We strongly encourage you to post under an anonymous handle, keep questions general, and avoid posting private details of your active case. For advice about your own situation, message your attorney.