§ 249-B — Rules of court

§ 249-b. Rules of court. (a) The chief administrator of the courts,\npursuant to paragraph (e) of subdivision two of section two hundred\ntwelve of the judiciary law, shall promulgate court rules for attorneys\nfor children. Such court rules shall:\n 1. prescribe workload standards for attorneys for children, including\nmaximum numbers of children who can be represented at any given time, in\norder to ensure that children receive effective assistance of counsel\ncomporting with legal and ethical mandates, the complexity of the\nproceedings affecting each client to which the attorney is assigned, and\nthe nature of the court appearance likely to be required for each\nindividual client; and\n 2. provide for the development of training programs with the input of\nand in consultation with the state office for the prevention of domestic\nviolence. Such training programs must include the dynamics of domestic\nviolence and its effect on victims and on children, and the relationship\nbetween such dynamics and the issues considered by the court, including,\nbut not limited to, custody, visitation and child support. Such training\nprograms along with the providers of such training must be approved by\nthe office of court administration following consultation with and input\nfrom the state office for the prevention of domestic violence; and\n 3. require that all attorneys for children, including new and veteran\nattorneys, receive initial and ongoing training as provided for in this\nsection.\n (b) Appointments of attorneys for children under section two hundred\nforty-nine of this part shall be in conformity with the rules.\n