§ 6229 Minor Court Appearance Without Counsel

Family Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says kids under 12 can go to court without a lawyer to ask for or stop a temporary restraining order, but only if they have a special guardian with them.

Key Takeaways

•Kids under 12 can go to court for restraining orders without a lawyer.
•They must have a guardian ad litem (a special guardian) with them.
•This only applies to temporary restraining orders or injunctions.

Example

A 10-year-old wants to stop someone from hurting them and needs a restraining order.

The kid can go to court with their guardian to ask for the order, even if they don’t have a lawyer.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 6229 Minor Court Appearance Without Counsel

A minor, under 12 years of age, accompanied by a duly appointed and acting guardian ad litem, shall be permitted to appear in court without counsel for the limited purpose of requesting or opposing a request for a temporary restraining order or injunction, or both, under this division as provided in Section 374 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 572, Sec. 12. (AB 1596) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 28 of Ch. 572.)

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

minor guardian ad litem temporary restraining order injunction Section 374 of the Code of Civil Procedure

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Family Code. Section 6229.

Key Takeaways

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Key Terms

Related Statutes

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Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References