Appointment of Official Solicitor

Practice Note The Official Solicitor: Appointments in Family Proceedings [2001] FAM LAW 307

This practice note came into effect on 1 April, superseding the practice note of 4 December 1998 in relation to representation of children in family proceedings. It sets out the circumstances in which the official solicitor will continue to represent children and when officers of CAFCASS will now do so. The practice note continues the previous procedure whereby the judge makes an order appointing the official solicitor to act for a child subject to his consent, the court sends all the papers, including the court file, to the official solicitor and a directions hearing is appointed in 28 days’ time to enable the official solicitor to respond to his appointment.