Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008

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Right of assistant to accompany blind or partially sighted party, counsel or solicitor to proceedings.

28.— (1) Where a court is satisfied in proceedings before it that—

(a) a party appearing before the court in the proceedings, or

(b) counsel or a solicitor appearing before the court in the proceedings on behalf of a party,

is blind or partially sighted and for that reason requires assistance, the court may, at the request of the party, counsel or solicitor concerned and notwithstanding any enactment, statutory instrument made under any enactment or rule of law, authorise another person (in this section referred to as the “ assistant”) to accompany the party, counsel or solicitor, as the case may be, in the proceedings and provide such assistance subject to such directions as the court may give to the assistant.

(2) The assistant in proceedings referred to in subsection (1)—

(a) shall comply with directions referred to in that subsection given to him or her, and

(b) shall not, by virtue of being the assistant, have any right of audience in the proceedings.