New Louisiana law requires counsel for fines/fees cases
While a state may have many statutes, court decisions, or court rules governing
appointment of counsel for a particular subject area, a "Key Development" is a
statute/decision/rule that prevails over the others (example: a state high court
decision finding a categorical right to counsel in guardianships cases takes
precedence over a statute saying appointment in guardianship cases is
discretionary).
06/21/2017,
Legislation, Incarceration for Fees/Fines (incomplete)
Louisiana HB 249, signed by the Governor last week, amends the law relating to the collection of legal financial obligations. Among other things (including how such obligations are imposed in the first place, the bill added La. C.Cr.P. Art. 895.5(C)(2)(d) to provide a right to appointed counsel when an indigent defendant is held in contempt for failure to comply with a court-imposed payment plan.
If "yes",
the established right to counsel or
discretionary appointment of counsel
is
limited
in some way, including any of: the only authority
is a
lower/intermediate court decision or a city council,
not a high court or state legislature; there
has been
a subsequent case that
has
cast doubt; a statute
is
ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment
is not
for all types of individuals or proceedings
within that category.
categorical
no
