The issues, concerns, and roles of the parent, court, judge, prosecutor, and other social service and correctional personnel will vary in delinquency, status offense, child abuse, custody, and dependency and neglect cases. However, the major role of the child's counsel is as advocate. Mandatory legal counsel for minors, as required by In re Gault and New York law, ensures the fairness of the process and enhances the quality of judicial decisionmaking. It ensures maximum advocacy so that all perspectives are represented; provides maximum information for the consideration of dispositional and postdispositional alternatives; injects greater accountability into the process; and provides continuing jurisdiction to ensure that child, family, and community continue to be well served by the disposition. By ensuring greater fairness, it facilitates justice for all parties in the result. 123 notes.