Right to counsel
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).
Legislation, Guardianship/Conservatorship of Adults - Protected Person
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 3-1-205(a) states that “The proposed ward of any involuntary petition for guardianship or conservatorship shall have the right to: (iv) … have counsel appointed upon order of the court …” It is unclear whether this confers a right or whether the court has discretion to choose whether to order such appointment, but it appears to be the latter given that the statute also provides for appointment of a guardian ad litem without the "upon order of the court" qualifying language.
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.
discretionary
no
