Rule 11.010.Application for Court-appointed Counsel
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 11.010
Plain-English Summary
The paperwork comes first. Every adult and child affected by a juvenile case needs an application for court-appointed counsel and a declaration of financial condition, signed under penalty of perjury. The rule wants both at intake, or at the earliest practicable moment after that, so the question of who represents whom does not drift while the case moves.
Adults and children are treated differently. The court may appoint counsel for a child in any case, without conditioning the appointment on a financial showing. An adult gets appointed counsel only after filing the sworn declaration of financial condition, along with any other written, sworn information the court asks for. The applicant may also add anything else bearing on the ability to hire a lawyer.
Once the application arrives, the court has to rule promptly. If it grants the application, it appoints counsel promptly and tells counsel about the appointment. The rule sets no deadline in days. The obligation is speed, and it sits on the court rather than on the applicant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a child need to file a financial declaration to get a court-appointed lawyer?
The declaration is required either way, but for a child it is not what unlocks the appointment. Subsection (1) calls for an application and a declaration of financial condition for each affected adult and child alike, so the paperwork is filed for a child too. What subsection (2) changes is the consequence: counsel may be appointed for a child in any case, while counsel will not be appointed for an adult unless that adult files the declaration.
What do I file to ask for a court-appointed lawyer in an Oregon juvenile case?
An application for court-appointed counsel and a declaration of financial condition, made under penalty of perjury. The court may also require other information in writing and under oath about your ability to retain counsel.
When is the application supposed to be filed?
On intake, or at the earliest practicable other time. The rule treats the application as an intake document rather than something to sort out later, because an unrepresented party slows the whole case.
How quickly does the court have to decide the application?
Promptly. The rule uses that word rather than a day count, and it applies twice: the court rules promptly on the application, and if it grants the application it appoints counsel promptly and notifies counsel of the appointment.
Can I submit anything beyond the required declaration to support my request?
Yes. Beyond the declaration and whatever the court requires, the rule lets the applicant submit any other information relating to the applicant's financial ability to retain counsel. If your circumstances are not captured by the form, say so in writing.