Jolly v. Wright

HUSKINS, Justice.

The sole question presented for review is whether an indigent defendant has a statutory or constitutional right to be represented by appointed counsel in civil contempt proceedings brought to compel compliance with outstanding child support orders.

Defendant asserts both a statutory and constitutional entitlement to appointed counsel. He relies on G.S. 7A-451(a)(l), the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and the Law of the Land provisions in Article I, Section 19 of the North Carolina Constitution.

We turn first to defendant’s…