8-221. Counsel right of juvenile, parent or guardian; appointment; guardian ad litem

A. The court shall appoint an attorney for a child in all delinquency proceedings that commence with a petition or that may involve detention, dependency proceedings or termination of parental rights proceedings that are conducted pursuant to this title. The court shall appoint the attorney before the first hearing. The attorney shall represent the child at all stages of the proceedings and, in a dependency proceeding, through dismissal.

B. If a parent or guardian is found to be indigent and entitled to counsel, the juvenile court shall appoint an attorney to represent the person or persons unless the person knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waives counsel.

C. Before any court appearance that may result in institutionalization or mental health hospitalization of a juvenile, the court shall appoint counsel for the juvenile if counsel has not been previously appointed or retained by or for the juvenile.

D. The county board of supervisors may fix a reasonable sum to be paid by the county for the services of an appointed attorney.

E. In a county where there is a public defender, the public defender may act as attorney in either:

1. A delinquency or incorrigibility proceeding when requested by the juvenile court.

2. Any other juvenile proceeding that is conducted pursuant to this title if the board of supervisors authorizes the appointment of the public defender.

F. In all juvenile court proceedings in which the dependency petition includes an allegation that the juvenile is abused or neglected, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to protect the juvenile's best interests. This guardian ad litem shall be an attorney. The guardian ad litem is not the child's attorney.

G. Any guardian ad litem or attorney appointed for a juvenile shall meet with the juvenile before the preliminary protective hearing, if possible, or within fourteen days after the preliminary protective hearing.  The guardian ad litem or attorney appointed for the juvenile also shall meet with the juvenile before all substantive hearings. On a showing of extraordinary circumstances, the judge may modify this requirement for any substantive hearing.