Central Family Court: What to Expect at Your Hearing

Part of: Your First Family Court Hearing

The Central Family Court is one of the buildings where the family court sits, at First Avenue House, 42–49 High Holborn. It opens Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, and it hears adoption, child arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse, financial remedy, forced marriage and female genital mutilation cases (GOV.UK Court Finder). There is one family court for England and Wales (Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984, s.31A). Our guide to your first family court hearing explains the wider process, and our specialists assist and advise at each stage. This page covers the law of England and Wales.

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

What happens on the day at the Central Family Court?

Most hearing days follow the same pattern. Here is what to expect, from the front door to the decision.

1. Security check. Staff check your bags and pockets, much like at an airport, and you may walk through an archway detector. Allow extra time, because queues can build between 9am and 10am on weekdays (GOV.UK security rules).
2. Find your hearing. Use the case number on your letter to find where you need to go in the building. If you feel lost, ask a member of staff.
3. Wait to be called. A member of staff calls you into the hearing room and shows you where to sit. Before a first hearing in a children case, a Cafcass officer will, where practicable, speak to each party separately at court (Practice Direction 12B, para 14.7).
4. Inside the room. When staff say “all rise if able”, the judge is about to come in. Silence your phone, and take notes if you like, but never take photos or videos. Some hearings take place in a less formal room, where the parties may sit around a table.
5. Speaking. Someone will explain who speaks and when. You can call a judge “judge”, or a magistrate “sir” or “madam”. If you give evidence, you first swear an oath or affirm that it is true.
6. The decision. The judge may decide on the day or send you the decision by post later. After that, leave the building straight away.

What should you bring to the Central Family Court?

Pack the night before, so nothing gets left behind. HMCTS guidance suggests you bring:

• your hearing letter with the case number;
• any papers you need for the hearing, such as earlier court orders and anything the court told you to file;
• food and water, because not every court building has refreshments;
• prescription medicines, with the pharmacist’s label showing your name and the date;
• hand sanitiser if you want it, although security staff will ask you to use some in front of them.

Security staff stop weapons and anything that could work as one, including scissors, glass bottles, metal cutlery and full-length umbrellas. You also cannot take in alcohol, an e-bike or an e-scooter. If security keeps an item, you get a receipt so you can usually collect it when you leave. There is no formal dress code, but dress as you would for a formal public building. Apart from a face covering, only wear a head covering for religious reasons.

How much of the day should you keep free?

No official source gives one fixed length for a hearing at the Central Family Court, and our guide to your first family court hearing covers what affects it. However, the time on your letter is when the day’s cases start, not a private slot for you, so you may wait. Keep the rest of the day free if you can, and arrange childcare or time off work before you go.

The type of hearing also affects your timeline. For example, the first hearing in a children case should normally take place in week 5 after the court issues the application, and no later than week 6 (Practice Direction 12B, para 14.1). At the end of each hearing, the judge sets out the next steps, so ask if anything is unclear.

Who will be in the room at the family court?

Most family cases, and all cases about children, take place in private (HMCTS who’s who). So the room is usually small, and you may see:

• The judge or magistrates. This could be a district judge, circuit judge or recorder, among others, or magistrates or a legal adviser.
• The usher and clerk. The usher shows you where to sit, while a clerk, if there is one, keeps a record of who attends.
• The parties. That means you, the other party and any legal professional either of you has instructed.
• A Cafcass officer. They attend the first hearing in a children case (Practice Direction 12B, para 14.6).
• Witnesses. They give evidence and answer questions.
• Accredited journalists. They can attend most private hearings, unless the judge excludes them to protect a child or to keep someone safe (FPR r.27.11).

The general public have no right to attend. Even so, you do not have to face the day alone. You can bring a McKenzie Friend for practical support, and an Independent Domestic Violence Adviser who supports you can be there too, unless the court directs otherwise (Practice Direction 27C). HMCTS asks you to bring only one support person, because staff may refuse entry to more.

Which type of hearing are you going to?

Check your letter for the type of hearing, because each one has a different job:

• First hearing in a children case. The judge and a Cafcass officer help the parties find where they agree. What you say there can come up again later, because this hearing is not privileged (Practice Direction 12B, para 14.9). Our FHDRA hearing guide covers it in depth.
• First appointment in a money case. The court defines the issues, decides which documents each person must produce and usually sends the case on to a financial dispute resolution appointment (FPR r.9.15).
• Financial dispute resolution appointment. This is a meeting for discussion and negotiation, and both of you must attend in person unless the court directs otherwise (FPR r.9.17).
• Urgent protection. For an urgent without-notice application, such as a non-molestation order, the Central Family Court asks you to contact [email protected] (Court Finder).

Can you feel safe at the Central Family Court?

Yes, there is help, but you need to ask for it early. Contact the court before your hearing if you have any worries about your safety on the day. For example, staff can seat you in a different part of the building while you wait, or put a screen in the hearing room.

If you tell the court that you are, or may become, a victim of domestic abuse by another party, the court must assume that the quality of your evidence and your ability to take part are diminished, unless you ask it not to. It must then consider participation directions (FPR r.3A.2A), such as screens, a live video link or an intermediary (FPR r.3A.8). Read more about special measures in family court and attending court after domestic abuse.

If you have a disability, ask for a reasonable adjustment before the day. The Court Finder lists disabled access and toilets, a private interview room, and hearing loops in the courtrooms if you give notice. Assistance dogs are welcome, and Sunflower lanyards are available on request.

How do you get to the Central Family Court?

The address is First Avenue House, 42–49 High Holborn, London WC1V 6NP. Transport for London’s station data puts Chancery Lane (Central line) and Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines) closest to the court’s map location. Plan your route with the TfL Journey Planner, and allow time for the security queue.

The court’s official page lists no public car park. It does say that the court can arrange disabled parking if you contact it 48 hours ahead, where a space is free. Also remember that you cannot bring an e-bike or e-scooter inside, and there is no storage for them.

What if your hearing is by video or phone?

The court will tell you if your hearing is remote and explain how to join (HMCTS remote hearing guidance). Before the day, test your equipment and choose a quiet, private space. On the day, be ready at least 20 minutes early, with a charged device and your documents to hand.

For a phone hearing, the court may call from an unknown number, so turn off any call barring. If you want a supporter with you, ask the court’s permission first. You can also ask for arrangements that help you feel safe, such as making sure the other party cannot see you.

Your hearing day checklist

Use this quick check a day or two before your Central Family Court hearing. First choose how you are joining, and the items that apply to you get a gold edge.

Before your hearing: are you ready?

The calls a checklist can’t make for you

• Whether to agree an arrangement at court, or ask for time to think it over.
• How to put your concerns to the judge clearly and briefly, especially when safety is an issue.
• Which safety measures suit your situation, and when to ask for them.
• What a settlement proposal could mean for you, before you respond to it.

These calls depend on the facts of your case, and they are easier to get right before the hearing than on the day. You don’t have to make them alone. A free initial consultation is a conversation with one of our family law specialists, who gives you initial advice tailored to your circumstances. It does not include drafting or reviewing documents.

Book a free initial consultation or call 0330 094 5880.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Central Family Court, and when is it open?

You will find the Central Family Court, London, at First Avenue House, 42–49 High Holborn, WC1V 6NP. GOV.UK’s Court Finder lists its opening hours as Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. Check that page before you travel, because it carries any notices about changes. Arrive 30 minutes before the time on your hearing letter.

Can I bring my children to court with me?

Plan childcare for the whole day. HMCTS guidance says there are no childcare facilities, and staff cannot look after your children while you are in the hearing room. The Court Finder lists a children’s room on the fourth floor, but it does not describe it as childcare. You can breastfeed or express milk in any court building.

Can the public or journalists attend my hearing?

Members of the public have no right to attend, because family proceedings take place in private unless the rules or the court say otherwise (FPR r.27.10). Accredited journalists can usually attend, and so can some authorised legal professionals attending for journalism, research or public legal education. However, the judge can exclude them to protect a child, to keep someone safe or to keep order (FPR r.27.11).

Is there parking at the court?

The court’s official page does not list a public car park. Disabled parking may be possible if you contact the court 48 hours before your hearing, where a space is free. Otherwise, public transport is simpler: Chancery Lane and Holborn are the closest Underground stations. Allow extra time, because the security queue can build between 9am and 10am.

What if I cannot get to the Central Family Court on the day?

Contact the court straight away, using the details on your hearing letter. In a children case, each party must attend unless the court directs otherwise (Practice Direction 12B, para 14.4). If a respondent stays away after reasonable notice, the court may go ahead without them. If the applicant stays away, the court may refuse the application (FPR r.27.4).

Can someone come with me for support?

Yes. HMCTS guidance says to bring only one support person, such as a friend or family member, because staff may refuse entry to more. A McKenzie Friend can also sit with you, take notes and quietly help with your case papers (Practice Direction 12B, para 14.5). If an Independent Domestic Violence Adviser supports you, they can attend any hearing with you unless the court directs otherwise (Practice Direction 27C).

Will the judge decide everything on the day?

Not always. The judge may decide on the day or send you the decision by post later. At a first hearing in a children case, the court can make an order if you and the other party agree. If you don’t agree, the judge gives directions for the next steps (Practice Direction 12B, paras 14.8 and 14.11). Before you leave, ask about anything you do not understand.

Hearing at the Central Family Court soon? Get advice before the day

Preparing early gives you time to gather your papers and to ask for any safety measures you need. Book a free initial consultation, where one of our specialists gives you initial advice tailored to your circumstances. You can also read our FHDRA hearing guide, or return to your first family court hearing.

General information about the law in England and Wales, not advice on your circumstances.

Expert Tip

Before you set off, write down the two or three things you most want the judge to understand, with dates where they matter. Nerves can scatter your thoughts in the hearing room, and a short note keeps you focused. At a first hearing in a children case, remember that what you say can be referred to later, so stay calm, factual and focused on your child.

Hannah Overton, Complex Children Specialist & Client Support