Canon 1478. §1 Minors and those who lack the use of reason can stand before the court only through their parents, guardians or curators, subject to the provisions of §3.

§2 If the judge considers that the rights of minors are in conflict with the rights of the parents, guardians or curators, or that these cannot sufficiently protect the rights of the minors, the minors are to stand before the court through a guardian or curator assigned by the judge.

§3 However, in cases concerning spiritual matters and matters linked with the spiritual, if the minors have the use of reason, they can plead and respond without the consent of parents or guardians; indeed, if they have completed their fourteenth year, they can stand before the court on their own behalf; otherwise, they do so through a curator appointed by the judge.

§4 Those barred from the administration of their goods and those of infirm mind can themselves stand before the court only to respond concerning their own offences, or by order of the judge. In other matters they must plead and respond through their curators.

§1. Minores et ii, qui rationis usu destituti sunt, stare in iudicio tantummodo possunt per eorum parentes aut tutores vel curatores, salvo praescripto §3.

§2. Si iudex existimet minorum iura esse in conflictu cum iuribus parentum vel tutorum vel curatorum, aut hos non satis tueri posse ipsorum iura, tunc stent in iudicio per tutorem vel curatorem a iudice datum.

§3. Sed in causis spiritualibus et cum spiritualibus conexis, si minores usum rationis assecuti sint, agere et respondere queunt sine parentum vel tutoris consensu, et quidem per se ipsi, si aetatem quattuordecim annorum expleverint; secus per curatorem a iudice constitutum.

§4. Bonis interdicti, et ii qui minus firmae mentis sunt, stare in iudicio per se ipsi possunt tantummodo ut de propriis delictis respondeant, aut ad praescriptum iudicis; in ceteris agere et respondere debent per suos curatores.