{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-adoption-rules-2005/article-55",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-adoption-rules-2005/article-55.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2005/2795",
  "legislation_title": "The Family Procedure (Adoption) Rules 2005",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-adoption-rules-2005",
  "path": "article/55",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "55",
  "heading": "How a person becomes a litigation friend by court order",
  "text": "(1) The court may make an order appointing—\n(a) the Official Solicitor;\n(b) in the case of a non-subject child, an officer of the Service or a Welsh family proceedings officer (if he consents); or\n(c) some other person (if he consents)\nas a litigation friend.\n(2) An order appointing a litigation friend may be made by the court of its own initiative or on the application of—\n(a) a person who wishes to be a litigation friend; or\n(b) a party to the proceedings.\n(3) The court may at any time direct that a party make an application for an order under paragraph (2).\n(4) An application for an order appointing a litigation friend must be supported by evidence.\n(5) Unless the court directs otherwise, a person appointed under this rule to be a litigation friend for a non-subject child or patient will be treated as a party for the purpose of any provision in these Rules requiring a document to be served on, or sent to, or notice to be given to, a party to the proceedings.\n(6) Subject to rule 53(4), the court may not appoint a litigation friend under this rule unless it is satisfied that the person to be appointed complies with the conditions specified in rule 53(3).",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "am",
      "affecting": "uksi/2008/2447",
      "affecting_title": "The Family Procedure (Adoption) (Amendment) Rules 2008"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/2795/article/55",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:49:01.488224+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."
}