Bolton County Court and Family Court — self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

The Law Courts, Blackhorse Street, Greater Manchester BL1 1SU

Telephone

0300 123 5577; 0300 303 0642 (divorce)

Verified

2026-08-27

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27

If you are representing yourself in a family matter in Bolton, you are not alone. This guide lays out, plainly and without judgement, what to expect when your family case is heard at Bolton County Court and Family Court, so you can walk in more prepared and less uncertain. It is not legal advice — court details below are sourced from the public HMCTS register and verified against the official "Find a court or tribunal" service data on 2026-08-27.

About the name. The HMCTS venue for family hearings in Bolton is Bolton County Court and Family Court, part of the courts sitting at The Law Courts, Blackhorse Street, Bolton, BL1 1SU — the same building that also houses the Bolton Combined Court and Bolton Magistrates' Court. Use the official name and address below, and always go to the court named on your notice of hearing.

The essentials

Address: Bolton County Court and Family Court, The Law Courts, Blackhorse Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 1SU
Phone (court enquiries): 01204 392 881
Phone (HMCTS National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court – Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm): 0300 123 5577
Phone (HMCTS Divorce Contact Centre – Mon–Fri 10am–6pm): 0300 303 0642
Family public law (children in care): 0330 808 4424
Email (family matters): family@bolton.countycourt.gsi.gov.uk
Email (civil enquiries): enquiries.bolton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
DX: 702610 Bolton 3
Court type: County Court and Family Court (adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse)
verifiedAt: 2026-08-27 (checked against the official HMCTS data)

Contact and enquiries (official HMCTS details)

These are the contact routes published by HMCTS for Bolton County Court and Family Court.

Telephone

Court enquiries: 01204 392 881
HMCTS National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm) — general enquiries: 0300 123 5577
HMCTS Divorce Contact Centre (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm): 0300 303 0642
Family public law (children in care): 0330 808 4424
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

family@bolton.countycourt.gsi.gov.uk — family enquiries.
enquiries.bolton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — general enquiries (including civil).
bailiffs.bolton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — bailiff (enforcement) enquiries.
contactfpl@justice.gov.uk — family public law (children in care), for case numbers starting with C5.

Safety note on scams: HMCTS warns that scammers impersonate genuine HMCTS phone numbers and email addresses and may demand payment, claiming to be from HMRC or the enforcement service. If you are unsure, do not pay anything and report the scam to Action Fraud. HMCTS scam warning (gov.uk)

Getting there & access

Bolton County Court and Family Court, The Law Courts, Blackhorse Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 1SU

By rail: Bolton railway station is about a 10-minute walk from the court via Trinity Street. From the station, head towards the town centre and the Blackhorse Street / Law Courts area — confirm the exact route on a map before you go. Check departures before travelling.
By bus: Bolton's town-centre bus routes stop close to the Law Courts on Blackhorse Street / Cheadle Square. Use a live journey planner to confirm the route on the day.

Check live travel before you go and confirm the court's current public access arrangements (these can change). A hurried arrival adds stress.

Inside the building (official HMCTS facilities)

Security: everyone entering is searched and possessions are checked for safety — similar to airport security. Alert the security officer if you have a pacemaker or other medical device.
Disabled access: the building has level access to the entrance and all floors, lifts to all floors and level access into courtrooms, plus disabled toilet facilities. Contact the court in advance if you need reasonable adjustments or use of a lift.
Hearing loop: the building has hearing enhancement facilities available by prior arrangement — contact the court office in advance if you rely on one.
Baby-changing: baby-changing facilities are available in the disabled toilets on the ground floor.
Assistance dogs are welcome, and the court supports the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme — lanyards are available on request.

What cases this court handles

According to the official HMCTS register, Bolton County Court and Family Court handles:

Adoption
Childcare arrangements if you separate from your partner (C100 / child arrangements orders)
Divorce hearings
Domestic abuse (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
Financial/remedy matters on divorce

Not every family case is heard here. If you are unsure whether your matter belongs at Bolton County Court and Family Court:

Check your court documents. The notice of hearing and any correspondence give you the court and the address where you are expected.
Ask the court. Call the court on 01204 392 881 or the HMCTS National Contact Centre on 0300 123 5577 — staff there can point you in the right direction.

The C100 / FHDRA reality

For most parents, the first step is a C100 application for a child arrangements order, and the first hearing is the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA). Here is the reality of that first hearing for a litigant in person:

It is short and administrative. The FHDRA normally lasts around 30 minutes and is not the trial. It is a gatekeeping and dispute-resolution hearing — the judge checks the papers, identifies what is agreed and what is in dispute, and decides what is needed next.
The judge encourages agreement. Where it is safe, the judge will look for contact both parents can agree on, rather than deciding everything there and then.
You will likely be referred on. If issues cannot be resolved at the FHDRA, the case is typically listed for further court directions, a fact-finding hearing (where allegations of harm are examined) and/or a final hearing. Expect more than one hearing — that is normal.
Bring your evidence and be ready to speak plainly. You don't need a solicitor, but the judge needs to understand your position clearly and calmly. Answer directly, address the judge respectfully, and ask if you don't follow something — it's better to ask than to guess.
Support is available. Independent charity Support Through Court assists litigants in person (linked below). You are also allowed a McKenzie friend (an unpaid assistant who can sit with you, take notes and quietly advise — they cannot address the court without permission).

FL401 / domestic-abuse safety

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, please know you are not alone, and this court takes abuse matters seriously — domestic abuse is one of the case types it handles. Help is available.

FL401 is the court application form used to apply for a non-molestation order (which stops someone threatening or using violence towards you) or an occupation order (which decides who can live in the family home). You can often apply urgently, sometimes without telling the other person first.

Refuge National Domestic Abuse Helpline (freephone, 24/7): 0808 2000 247
Emergency: if you are in immediate danger, call 999.
Non–emergency police: 101 for non-urgent concerns.

Please use a safe device. "Safe" means a phone, computer or tablet that an abusive partner or ex-partner cannot access — for example a device at work, at a trusted friend's or family member's home, or a library. Calls, messages, browsing history and app activity can be monitored on a device the abuser has access to, so take care when researching this information or applying for an order. If you are worried your device is being monitored, seek help from a service you trust where the device is private.

Links you may find helpful:

A practical first visit / application checklist

Before you go, work through this list so nothing catches you out:

[ ] Confirm the court name and venue on your notice of hearing — make sure your case is listed at Bolton County Court and Family Court, The Law Courts, Blackhorse Street, Bolton, BL1 1SU.
[ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the court on 01204 392 881 or the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 to confirm.
[ ] Check whether you need the C100 (child arrangements), FL401 (domestic abuse) or another form — see the official links below.
[ ] Confirm the court's current public access / counter arrangements before travelling, as these can change.
[ ] Apply for a family order online where possible — divorce and some family applications can be started via the official gov.uk routes (linked below) rather than on paper; you may be able to face fee help if you are on a low income or benefits.
[ ] Prepare in one page what you want the judge to know, and keep it calm and specific.
[ ] Bring photo ID, your court notices, and anything the court asked you to bring.
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — Bolton station is roughly a 10-minute walk via Trinity Street, and town-centre bus routes stop close by on Blackhorse Street / Cheadle Square.
[ ] Arrange childcare or time off in advance so you are not rushed on the day.
[ ] Consider a McKenzie friend or ask Support Through Court for help if that would steady you.

You are entitled to a fair hearing. Preparing for the practical realities — the travel, the waiting, the uncertainty — is one of the best things you can do to give yourself a steadier day.

YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory — we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to HMCTS, Bolton County Court and Family Court, or gov.uk. Court details are sourced from the public HMCTS register and reviewed for accuracy; always confirm the latest position directly with the court, because court listing and status information changes. This page is general information and is not legal advice.

Official forms & guidance (gov.uk):

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.

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