# The Family Proceedings Courts (Children Act 1989) Rules 1991, Article 7: Parties


(1) The respondents to relevant proceedings shall be those persons set out in the relevant entry in column (iii) of Schedule 2 to these Rules.
(2) In any relevant proceedings a person may file a request in writing that he or another person–
(a) be joined as a party, or
(b) cease to be a party.
(3) On considering a request under paragraph (2) the court shall, subject to paragraph (4)–
(a) grant it without a hearing or representations, save that this shall be done only in the case of a request under paragraph (2)(a), whereupon the justices' clerk shall inform the parties and the person making the request of that decision, or
(b) order that a date be fixed for the consideration of the request, whereupon the justices' clerk shall give notice of the date so fixed, together with a copy of the request–
(i) in the case of a request under paragraph (2)(a), to the applicant, and
(ii) in the case of a request under paragraph (2)(b), to the parties, or
(c) invite the parties or any of them to make written representations, within a specified period, as to whether the request should be granted; and upon the expiry of the period the court shall act in accordance with sub-paragraph (a) or (b).
(4) Where a person with parental responsibility requests that he be joined under paragraph (2)(a), the court shall grant his request.
(5) In any relevant proceedings the court may direct–
(a) that a person who would not otherwise be a respondent under these Rules be joined as a party to the proceedings, or
(b) that a party to the proceedings cease to be a party.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/1395/article/7 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/family-proceedings-courts-children-act-1989-rules-1991/article-7
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.