The answer is:
Yes, someone authorized by a valid Power of Attorney (POA) in British Columbia can appear in court on behalf of the person who granted the power, but only within the scope of the authority granted in the POA. Specifically, a general POA, and an enduring POA can allow the attorney to handle legal matters, including representing the individual in court.
Elaboration:
Scope of Authority:
The extent of the attorney's authority to act in court depends on the specific terms of the POA. A general POA, for example, allows the attorney to do anything the grantor could lawfully do by an attorney.
POWER OF ATTORNEY ACT
[RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 370
Section 009 — Short form
9 (1) A general power of attorney may be in Form 1 or Form 2 of the Schedule.
(2) A general power of attorney, in Form 1, confers authority on the attorney and in Form 2 confers authority on more than one attorney acting separately or acting together, as the case may be, to do on behalf of the donor anything that the donor can lawfully do by an attorney, subject to the conditions and restrictions, if any, that are contained in the power of attorney.
(3) This section applies to a power of attorney made before, on or after October 14, 1987.
Schedule
Form 1
(Section 9)
Power of Attorney
(For the appointment of one attorney)
This General Power of Attorney is given on ............................................................ (Date)
by ............................................................ (Donor) of ............................................................ (Donor's Address)
I appoint the following person:
............................................................ (Name of Attorney) of ............................................................ (Address of Attorney)
to be my attorney in accordance with the Power of Attorney Act and to do on my behalf anything that I can lawfully do by an attorney.
(The following paragraph may be included if the donor wishes the authority granted by this power of attorney to continue despite any subsequent mental infirmity on the donor's part:)
In accordance with the Power of Attorney Act, I declare that this power of attorney may be exercised during any subsequent mental infirmity on my part.
This power of attorney is subject to the following conditions and restrictions:
(Cross this line out if there are no conditions or restrictions.)
WITNESSED BY:
..........................................................................................
(Signature of Witness)
....................................................................................................................................................................................
(Print Name of Witness)(Donor)
..........................................................................................
(Address of Witness)
Link:
POWER OF ATTORNEY ACT https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/docu ... %2C%201987.