Los Angeles County Department of Children's Services v. Gregory C.

Opinion

MOSK, J.

We granted review in this cause to address the question whether Anders v. California (1967) 386 U.S. 738 [18 L.Ed.2d 493, 87 S.Ct. 1396] (hereafter sometimes Anders), which has been considered in decisions including People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436 [158 Cal.Rptr. 839, 600 P.2d 1071] (hereafter sometimes Wende), applies, or must or should be extended, to an indigent parent’s appeal from a judgment or order, obtained by the state, adversely affecting his custody of a child or his status as the child’s parent. As will appear, our answer is no.

I

In the Juvenile Court of the Los…