In Re Dependency of Grove

With these three consolidated cases, we begin *226the process of clarifying the standard to be applied in determining when an indigent litigant’s civil appeal will be funded by the State of Washington.

This court has not published an opinion in this area since 1977, just one year after RAP 15.2, our procedural court rule governing public funding of appeals, became effective.1 Since that time, action on the part of this state’s Legislature has reshaped the law affecting indigent litigants. Because RAP 15.2 has not kept pace with these changes, some confusion exists with respect to when litigants in…