Rule 17.2 Requirement for a litigation friend
This rule does not apply to P (whether P is an adult or a child).
A protected party (if a party to the proceedings) must have a litigation friend.
A child (if a party to the proceedings) must have a litigation friend to conduct those proceedings on that child's behalf unless the court makes an order under paragraph (4).
The court may make an order permitting a child to conduct proceedings without a litigation friend.
An application for an order under paragraph (4)—
may be made by the child;
if the child already has a litigation friend, must be made on notice to the litigation friend; and
if the child has no litigation friend, may be made without notice.
Where—
the court has made an order under paragraph (4); and
it subsequently appears to the court that it is desirable for a litigation friend to conduct the proceedings on behalf of the child,
the court may appoint a person to be the child's litigation friend.