Summary of facts: A father seeks to represent his minor son in a legal challenge against a Florida school district. The federal district court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit held that parents do not have a right to represent their children in court and must hire an attorney. The father is now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his case. 

RFI’s position: Even if the government has a legitimate interest in ensuring that children receive competent representation, such an interest does not outweigh parents’ fundamental right to decide how their children’s interests are represented. For many parents of faith, the exercise of that right has religious dimensions that will be threatened if the lower courts’ holdings are allowed to stand. The Supreme Court should agree to hear the case and settle the dispute among the federal and state courts on this matter.