United States Supreme Court

The Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause does not automatically require a State to provide counsel at civil contempt proceedings to an indigent noncustodial parent who is subject to a child support order, even if that individual faces incarceration. In particular, that Clause does not require that counsel be provided where the opposing parent or other custodian is not represented by counsel and the State provides alternative procedural safeguards equivalent to adequate notice of the importance of the ability to pay, a fair opportunity to present, and to dispute, relevant information, and express court findings as to the supporting parent's ability to comply with the support order.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/20/2011
• Published 06/20/2011

Judges

• Breyer

Court

• United States Supreme Court

Counsel