The Honorable Jeffrey T. Coleman Missouri Cases

Alecia Cramer, an incapacitated and indigent mother, sought a writ of prohibition to prevent the trial court from proceeding with a termination of parental rights action without her having appointed counsel. The trial court had discharged her appointed counsel, David Crosby, despite disagreements between Crosby and Cramer's guardian regarding the termination. The appellate court made its preliminary order in prohibition permanent, holding that the trial court acted without authority in discharging counsel because Cramer had not waived or rejected her right to counsel. The court directed the trial court to appoint counsel for Cramer before taking any further action.