The Ohio Supreme Court is weighing whether to require juvenile offenders facing the possibility of detention to consult with an attorney before deciding to waive their right to a lawyer.
Current court rules don't require such a meeting. The proposal is pitting youth advocates against some judges who say the requirement hinders the rights of parents and juveniles to make the decision themselves.
Kim Tandy, executive director of the Children's Law Center in Covington, Ky., says too many children are going through the juvenile court system without legal representation.
Geauga County Juvenile Judge Timothy Grendell says the requirement would be too costly for many counties, while noting that in practice juveniles facing serious charges always get lawyers.
Several other states have a similar consultation requirement.