{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998/rule-21.3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998/rule-21.3.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1998/3132",
  "legislation_title": "The Civil Procedure Rules 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/civil-procedure-rules-1998",
  "path": "rule/21.3",
  "kind": "rule",
  "number": "21.3",
  "heading": "Stage of proceedings at which a litigation friend becomes necessary",
  "text": "(1) This rule does not apply where the court has made an order under rule 21.2(3).\n(2) A person may not, without the the court’s permission —\n(a) make an application against a child or protected party before proceedings have started; or\n(b) take any step in proceedings except—\n(i) issuing and serving a claim form; or\n(ii) applying for the appointment of a litigation friend under rule 21.6,\nuntil the child or protected party has a litigation friend.\n(3) If during proceedings a party lacks capacity to continue to conduct proceedings, no party may take any further step in the proceedings without the the court’s permission until the protected party has a litigation friend.\n(4) Any step taken before a child or protected party has a litigation friend has no effect unless the court orders otherwise.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Pt. 21 substituted (1.10.2007) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2007 (S.I. 2007/2204), rule 1, Sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in rule 21.3(2) substituted (6.4.2023) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2023 (S.I. 2023/105), rules 1(1), 14(4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in rule 21.3(3) substituted (6.4.2023) by The Civil Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2023 (S.I. 2023/105), rules 1(1), 14(4)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/3132/rule/21.3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:12:59.276840+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}