This section is a bit challenging, to be honest. The two-part test that has to be met before the court appoints a lawyer for a child or youth — the conflict between the parents is so severe that it impairs their ability to act in their child's best interests, and the appointment must be necessary to protect the child's best interests — can be very difficult to meet. (Besides, the parent asking for a lawyer to be appointed has to admit that their own capacity to act in their child's best interests is impaired, not just the that of the other parent!) As a result of this difficult test, not to mention the cost of paying another lawyer, lawyer are rarely appointed to act for children.

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