{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-rules-2010/rule-16.4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-rules-2010/rule-16.4.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2010/2955",
  "legislation_title": "The Family Procedure Rules 2010",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-procedure-rules-2010",
  "path": "rule/16.4",
  "kind": "rule",
  "number": "16.4",
  "heading": "Appointment of a children's guardian in proceedings not being specified proceedings or proceedings to which Part 14 applies",
  "text": "(1) Except in proceedings under section 55A of the 1986 Act and without prejudice to rule ... 16.6, the court must appoint a children's guardian for a child who is the subject of proceedings, which are not proceedings of a type referred to in rule 16.3(1), if—\n(a) the child is an applicant in the proceedings;\n(b) a provision in these rules provides for the child to be a party to the proceedings; or\n(c) the court has made the child a party in accordance with rule16.2.\n(1A) Without prejudice to rule 16.6, in proceedings under section 55A of the 1986 Act, the court must appoint a children’s guardian for a child where—\n(a) the court has made the child a party in accordance with rule 16.2; and\n(b) the child is the person whose parentage is in dispute in those proceedings.\n(2) The provisions of Chapter 7 of this Part apply where the appointment of a children's guardian is required in accordance with paragraph (1) or paragraph (1A). (“children's guardian” is defined in rule 2.3.)",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in rule 16.4(1) substituted (3.10.2016) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2016 (S.I. 2016/901), rules 1, 5(a) (with rule 9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in rule 16.4(1) omitted (5.1.2026) by virtue of The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2025 (S.I. 2025/1242), rules 1(3)(a), 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Rule 16.4(1A) inserted (3.10.2016) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2016 (S.I. 2016/901), rules 1, 5(b) (with rule 9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in rule 16.4(2) inserted (3.10.2016) by The Family Procedure (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2016 (S.I. 2016/901), rules 1, 5(c) (with rule 9)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2955/rule/16.4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T02:22:56.480940+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."
}