Durham County Court and Family Court — self-representation guide

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27

If you are representing yourself in a family matter in Durham or County Durham, you are not alone. This guide lays out, plainly and without judgement, what to expect when your family case is heard at Durham 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" page on 2026-08-27.

About the venue. The family division of the Durham courts sits at the Durham Justice Centre on Old Elvet, on the edge of the city centre. This is the dedicated county and family court for the area — family cases are heard here, not at Durham Crown Court (which handles criminal matters at the separate Crown Court building). HMCTS lists the family venue at this address as "Durham County Court and Family Court". Your notice of hearing may reference the "Durham County Court and Family Court" or the "Durham Justice Centre" — both are the same building at Green Lane, Old Elvet, and the County Court location code is 190. Use the name, address and contact details below, and always go to the court named on your notice of hearing.

The essentials

• Official family venue: Durham County Court and Family Court, Durham Justice Centre, Green Lane, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3RG
• Also known as: Durham Justice Centre (the county and family court housed in the same building; the postcode DH1 3RG is for deliveries only — do not use it for directions, use the street address above)
• 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
• Phone (family public law / children in care): 0330 808 4424
• Phone (mediation/MIAM enquiries): 0191 224 4482
• County Court location code: 190 · DX: 65115 Durham 5
• Court type: County and family court (adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse, housing, bankruptcy and more)
• Counter (official): open 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday, by appointment only (cashless office in operation)
• verifiedAt: 2026-08-27 (checked against the official HMCTS page)

Contact and enquiries (official HMCTS details)

These are the contact routes listed on the official HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" page for Durham County Court and Family Court.

Telephone

• HMCTS National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm) — general enquiries: 0300 123 5577
• Family (private law, including C100 applications): 0300 123 5577
• HMCTS Divorce Contact Centre (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm): 0300 303 0642
• Family public law (children in care): 0330 808 4424
• Mediation / MIAM information: 0191 224 4482
• Enforcement (bailiffs): 0191 375 1808
• Social security and child support: 0300 123 1142
• If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance on 0300 123 5577.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

• familydurhamcty@justice.gov.uk — family matters, including C100 applications
• durhamcty@justice.gov.uk — civil court hearings (county court)
• contactfpl@justice.gov.uk — family public law (children in care), digital process for case numbers starting with C5
• durham.breathingspace@justice.gov.uk — Breathing Space (debt) enquiries
• sscsa-leeds@justice.gov.uk — social security and child support

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

Durham County Court and Family Court, Durham Justice Centre, Green Lane, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3RG

• By rail: Durham station is the local stop (LNER / CrossCountry East Coast Main Line services), around 15–20 minutes' walk from the city centre and the courts on Old Elvet. Confirm the exact route on a map before you go, and check departures before travelling.
• By bus: Durham's bus station and the city centre are close to Old Elvet. Use a live journey planner to confirm the route on the day.
• By road: The Justice Centre sits on Green Lane, off Old Elvet, close to the A690/A167. City-centre parking fills early — arrive with time to spare.

Check live travel before you go — engineering works and delays can change things on the day. The court counter is open 10am–2pm Monday to Friday and is by appointment only (with a cashless office in operation), so arrive early, and sort enquiries by phone (0300 123 5577) or email in advance. A hurried arrival adds stress.

Access facilities (official HMCTS):

• Disabled access and disabled toilet
• Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network — lanyards available on request
• Assistance dogs welcome
• Portable hearing enhancement system available by prior arrangement (contact the court to let them know your requirements)
• Five interview rooms available
• Baby changing facilities
• Video conference and prison video link facilities

What cases this court handles

According to the official HMCTS register, Durham 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)
• High Court cases — serious or high-profile criminal or civil law cases
• Housing
• Bankruptcy and money claims
• Breathing Space (debt) applications

Not every family case is heard here. If you are unsure whether your matter belongs at Durham:

• Check your court documents. The notice of hearing and any correspondence tell you the court and address where you are expected.
• Ask the court. Call the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 — staff are there to 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 court 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 among 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 or account 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, consider seeking help from a service you trust where you know the device is private.

Links you may find helpful:

• Domestic violence – injunctions (non-molestation and occupation orders) — official gov.uk guide
• Refuge — National Domestic Abuse Helpline (need help now)

A practical first visit / application checklist

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

• [ ] Confirm the court name and venue on your notice of hearing — make sure your case is listed at Durham County Court and Family Court (Durham Justice Centre, Green Lane, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3RG). That is the family venue for Durham.
• [ ] If unsure it is the right court, call 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.
• [ ] 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 by paper; you may be able to get help with the fee if you're 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.
• [ ] Note the counter is appointment-only (10am–2pm, cashless) — sort out any questions by phone (0300 123 5577) or email (familydurhamcty@justice.gov.uk).
• [ ] Plan your journey and arrival time to the venue named on your notice, and check live rail/bus status.
• [ ] 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, Durham County Court and Family Court, Durham Justice Centre, 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):

• Durham County Court and Family Court — HMCTS official "Find a court or tribunal" page
• Apply for a court order about a child (C100)
• FL401 — Apply for a non-molestation or occupation order (domestic abuse)
• Domestic violence – injunctions (non-molestation and occupation orders)
• Apply for a divorce (gov.uk)
• Find a solicitor (Law Society)
• Support Through Court (independent charity for litigants in person)
• What to expect when you come to court

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.