Juvenile Judge Donna Scott Davenport told WGNS news that the independent Rutherford County Juvenile Courts are busy in these trying times. With an increase in cases, there is also an increase in the number of attorney’s being used for indigent families. If the courts decide the parent or parents cannot afford representation, the state will provide that parent with a lawyer free of charge.
An example of when a parent may need an attorney in juvenile court would be when a child is taken away from a mother or father because of deplorable living conditions. The judge says that a lawyer who normally charges a client $200 to $300 per hour, will take on an indigent case for the state at a much lower rate.
According to the state of Tennessee, the court fees are paid out of the Indigent Defense Fund administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).
Fees Paid to Attorney's:
- $40.00 per hour for time spent in trial preparation; and
- $50.00 dollars per hour for “time reasonably spent in court.” (“time reasonably spent in court" means time spent in courtroom proceedings before a judge.)
