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Personal Responsibility
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Digest
HB 2353 revises the compensation structure for attorneys appointed as ad litem representatives in suits affecting the parent-child relationship. It requires courts to set reasonable fees and expenses for these attorneys, which are to be paid by the parents unless they are indigent. If indigency is proven, the county must pay the fees according to a schedule that aligns with juvenile representation rates. In counties with populations over three million, courts must set a minimum rate of $250 per hour for in-court appearances and reasonable out-of-court work. The bill also mandates public disclosure of attorney fee vouchers for transparency.
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