Practice Guidance 2010 on McKenzie Friends Remains Key Authority

The Practice Guidance: McKenzie Friends (Civil & Family Courts) [2010] 1 WLR 1881 remains the controlling guidance on the role of McKenzie Friends. It sets out that lay support is permitted for note‑taking, moral support, helping with documents and advice on case management, but that rights of audience (speaking for someone in court) are only permitted under exceptional circumstances. Legal Futures+1

Courts have reaffirmed this standard in subsequent High Court decisions (including the 2024 Wojakovski/Marx case). For lay users, this means support is widely acceptable, but expectations around speaking in court must be managed: early case planning to determine whether formal legal counsel is required should feature in any strategy.