Care & placement proceedings

In cases involving those with disabilities, the ECtHR had permitted the domestic courts a certain margin of appreciation to enable them to make the relevant procedural arrangements to secure the good administration of justice and protect the health of the person concerned. Nonetheless, any means of challenging the appointment of the Official Solicitor, however effective in theory, would only be effective in practice and therefore satisfy the requirements of Art 6(1) of the Convention if the fact of his appointment, the implications of his appointment, the existence of a means of challenging his appointment and the procedure for exercising it were clearly explained to the protected person in language appropriate to his or her level of understanding.