Warwickshire Justice Centre: Your Guide for Family Cases

Part of: Family Court Guides: Find Your Court Before the Hearing

Warwickshire Justice Centre is at Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa, CV32 4EL. It houses Warwick Combined Court (the Crown Court and County Court) and Leamington Spa Magistrates’ Court. The court finder lists no family cases here, so check the court named on your hearing notice first.

If a family case has brought you to this page, it’s natural to assume your hearing will take place here. When you search the GOV.UK court finder with this postcode, it names other courts for family cases. So this guide does two jobs. It shows where your family case is likely to be heard, and it walks you through a visit to Newbold Terrace if you do need to come here. It is part of our family court guides.

Reviewed by: Iblal Iqbal, Partner & Family Law Strategist, Kabir Family Law

Does Warwickshire Justice Centre hear family cases?

Not according to the court finder. For this building, it lists bankruptcy, crime, housing possession, money claims and single justice procedure cases. It lists no family case types at all.

So where do family cases go? We searched the court finder with the centre’s own postcode for each family case type. This is the court it named first each time.

Your own postcode may give a different result, and your hearing notice always has the final word. If your money case is heard in Birmingham, our Birmingham family court guide covers that building. Our nearest office to Newbold Terrace is in Coventry, about 8 miles away.

Where is Warwickshire Justice Centre and how do I contact it?

The court finder lists this building under two names: Warwick Combined Court and Leamington Spa Magistrates’ Court. So you may see either name on letters and online. The numbers below cover both.

The court finder also carries a warning for this court. Scammers copy genuine HMCTS phone numbers and email addresses, and may demand payment. If you’re unsure, don’t pay anything, and report it to Action Fraud.

How do I get to Warwickshire Justice Centre, and where can I park?

The court finder gives no directions and lists no parking for this building. So plan the journey before the day rather than on the morning itself.

By car: use the postcode CV32 4EL for your sat nav. Then check Warwick District Council’s website for public car parks and current rates. If you hold a Blue Badge, confirm current terms with the council, as these can change.

By train or bus: first, check National Rail for live departures from your starting point. Also check www.warwickshire.gov.uk or Traveline for the current route and nearest stop to Newbold Terrace.

Give yourself extra time to park and walk to the entrance, particularly on days with other Crown Court or Magistrates’ Court lists running.

What happens when you arrive at Warwickshire Justice Centre?

Three courts share this building. These steps follow what the court finder lists for it, in the order you’ll meet them.

1. Check the building on your notice. Your notice names the court and its address. If it names another court, look that court up on the court finder instead, because its facilities will differ.
2. Ask for support before the day. The portable hearing enhancement system and the video conferencing facilities both need prior arrangement, so contact the court by phone or email. Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards are available on request.
3. Arrive at least 30 minutes early. That gives you time to clear security and find your courtroom. All visitors and their belongings are screened through a security arch on entry, so tell the security officer if you have a pacemaker.
4. Find the right counter. The Crown and Magistrates’ counter opens from 9am to 5pm. However, the County Court counter only opens from 10am to 2pm, and the magistrates’ ushers’ reception opens at 9:30am.
5. Find a quiet space if you need one. One listing gives interview rooms on the first, second and third floors (limited availability, first come, first served). By contrast, the magistrates’ listing names four on the ground floor. There is also a prayer or quiet room on the second floor.
6. Keep recordings switched off. Recording sound in court without the court’s permission is a contempt of court (Contempt of Court Act 1981, s.9). So keep your phone switched off or on silent.

What facilities does Warwickshire Justice Centre have?

The two court finder listings for this building describe it in slightly different words. Between them, they list:

• Ramp access into the building and a lift to every floor
• Level access into courtrooms and hearing rooms (on the magistrates’ listing)
• Disabled toilets on all floors
• Baby changing facilities on all floors
• Assistance dogs welcome
• Wireless internet
• Vending-machine refreshments (with separate jury facilities)

If you’re anxious about coming face to face with the other person, ask the court about special measures well before your hearing date.

Which cases heard here can overlap with a family dispute?

None of the case types listed for Warwickshire Justice Centre is a family case. Even so, some of them can run alongside one.

Crime. Breaking a non-molestation order is a criminal offence (Family Law Act 1996, s.42A). The law allows it to be tried in a magistrates’ court or in the Crown Court, and this building houses both.

Housing possession. A landlord’s or lender’s claim to take back a home is a housing possession case, which this building lists. It is a separate claim from any family case about who keeps the home.

Money claims and bankruptcy. These are listed here too. If one of them involves money you and your ex-partner share, mention it when you get advice on your family case.

Due at Warwick Combined Court? Check you’re on track before the day

Frequently asked questions

Expert Tip

Many people expect a family case in this area to be heard at Warwickshire Justice Centre, then find their notice names a different building. So read the court name and address on your notice as soon as it arrives. If anything is unclear, call the civil and family contact centre on 0300 123 5577 well before the day. Don’t rely on the front desk either, because the County Court counter here only opens from 10am to 2pm.

Garry Steedman, Family Law Consultant (Divorce, Children & TOLATA)