MI, (WOWO) — Michigan advocates say the state’s juvenile legal defense system is failing – and kids are being left behind.

Unlike adults, minors don’t automatically get trained legal counsel, and depending on the county, they might not get a lawyer at all.

New legislation would create statewide standards for youth defense, but it’s stalled in the House.

Advocates argue that a child’s future shouldn’t depend on their ZIP code – and that access to a qualified attorney is a constitutional right, not a luxury.