Daniel Shaw, Meera Khunti, and Anna Seal write:
Everyone has a reasonable expectation of privacy concerning their private information, whether they are an adult or a child. However, there are certain cases when a child has a reasonable expectation of privacy where an adult does not.
Whilst not as widely reported as other privacy claims, children do bring claims for misuse of private information. However, in these circumstances because the claimant will be a child, any legal proceedings must operate under special rules and procedures. These are known as infant claims.
The Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), specifically CPR 21 and Practice Direction 21, set out the practice and procedure for civil claims brought where a child is a party. These requirements are designed to safeguard the child’s best interests as a protected party.
Why all children need a litigation friend
In civil litigation, a child is recognised as a person under the age of 18. All children require an adult to conduct court proceedings on their behalf and this adult is known as a litigation friend.
Generally, no steps can be taken in proceedings until a litigation friend has been appointed. Any steps taken before this – aside from issuing and serving the claim form and the appointment of the litigation friend – will be considered void unless the Court orders otherwise (CPR 21.3(2)).
Read more at Inforrm.
What region does this apply to? the Non-US tag is rather vague and there’s no additional context.
thanks,
Mike
The UK in the headline was to indicate region — this was a piece on UK law. Googling the laws cited in the article, like CPR 21.3(2)), would also take you to UK justice/law information. Sorry if it wasn’t clearer.