Article 17 Amendment to the Family Proceedings Courts (Child Support Act 1991) Rules 1993

The existing paragraph shall stand as paragraph (1).

After paragraph (1) insert—

“(2)

For the purposes of the law relating to contempt of court, information relating to proceedings held in private to which this paragraph applies may be communicated, subject to any direction of the court, by a party to the proceedings to—

(a)

the Secretary of State;

(b)

a McKenzie Friend or a lay adviser; or

(c)

an appeal tribunal dealing with an appeal made under section 20 of the Child Support Act 1991^f1,

for the purposes of making or responding to an appeal under section 20 of the Act of 1991 or the determination of such an appeal.

(3)

Paragraph (2) of this rule applies where the proceedings are brought under—

(a)

the Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates’ Courts Act 1978^f2; or

(b)

Schedule 6 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004^f3.

(4)

Nothing in rule 14 of the Family Proceedings Courts (Matrimonial Proceedings etc) Rules 1991^f4 (confidentiality of documents) shall prevent a party from communicating information for the purposes specified in paragraph (2) of this rule or require him to seek the leave of the court before doing so.

(5)

In this rule—

• “lay adviser” means a non-professional person who gives lay advice on behalf of an organisation in the lay advice sector;

• “McKenzie Friend” means any person permitted by the court to sit beside an unrepresented litigant in court to assist that litigant by prompting, taking notes and giving him advice.”.