King's Lynn Magistrates' Court and Family Court — self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

The Courthouse, College Lane, King's Lynn PE30 1PQ

Telephone

0300 123 5577

Verified

2026-08-31

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-31

If you are representing yourself in a family matter, you are not alone. This guide lays out, plainly and without judgement, what to expect at King's Lynn Magistrates' 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 2026-08-31.

About the name. HMCTS's active listing for this building is King's Lynn Magistrates' Court and Family Court. There is no separate "King's Lynn County Court and Family Court" on the register — this is the court building where family hearings for the King's Lynn area take place. The court is open. Use the current official name and address below, and always go to the court named on your notice of hearing. Note that family court correspondence is directed to Norwich Combined Court (details below).

The essentials first

Official name (per HMCTS register): King's Lynn Magistrates' Court and Family Court
Address (visiting): The Courthouse, College Lane, King's Lynn, PE30 1PQ
Write to us (family court cases): Norwich Combined Court, Bishopgate, Norwich, NR3 1UR
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
Email (all family matters): family.norwich.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Location codes: Magistrates' Court 1972 · DX: DX 97389 Norwich 5
Opening times: court open Mon–Fri 9am–4:30pm; counter by prior appointment only
Verified: 2026-08-31, from the HMCTS "Find a Court or Tribunal" register

Contact and enquiries (official HMCTS details)

These are the contact routes listed on the official HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" page for King's Lynn Magistrates' Court and Family Court.

Telephone

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
Magistrates' Court Enquiries – Courts and Tribunals Service Centre: 0330 808 4407 (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm, Sat 8am–2pm)
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, please contact 0330 808 4407 in advance.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

family.norwich.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — all family matters.
NorwichCountyAdoptions@justice.gov.uk — all adoption matters.
enquiries.norwich.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — all civil (county court) matters.
For anything you are unsure of, call the National Contact Centre on 0300 123 5577 and ask.

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 enforcement. If you are unsure, do not pay anything and report the scam to Action Fraud. HMCTS scam warning (gov.uk)

Getting there & access

King's Lynn Magistrates' Court and Family Court sits at The Courthouse, College Lane, King's Lynn, PE30 1PQ, close to the town centre.

By rail: King's Lynn is the mainline station (Great Northern services from London King's Cross via Cambridge and Downham Market). The court is a short walk or brief bus ride from the station. Check live departures before travelling.
By bus: local bus services serve King's Lynn town centre, close to the court. Use a live journey planner to confirm routes and times on the day you travel.
By car: there is no parking at the building. Public parking is available nearby, including disabled parking — check signage, time limits and charges before you leave the car, as policies change and penalties are common.

Check live travel before you go — engineering works and delays can change things on the day. Arrive early; court staff deal with many people daily, and a hurried arrival only adds stress.

Facilities and accessibility (official HMCTS details)

Per the official HMCTS page for this court:

Disabled access: the building has a lift covering the 1st and 2nd floors and level access into the court rooms and hearing rooms; a ramp is available to support access through the witness entrance. Accessible toilets are available.
Other support: hearing enhancement facilities available by prior arrangement; assistance dogs welcome; Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards available on request; a children's waiting room is available.
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance on 0330 808 4407.

What cases this court handles

King's Lynn Magistrates' Court and Family Court is a Magistrates' Court and Family Court. According to the official HMCTS register, the types of law handled here include:

Adoption
Domestic abuse (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
Crime and single justice procedure
Benefits (social security and child support)

Family court cases for the area are administered through Norwich Combined Court — family correspondence and filings go to Norwich Combined Court, Bishopgate, Norwich, NR3 1UR. Not every family case is heard at King's Lynn. If you are unsure whether your matter belongs here:

Check your court documents. The notice of hearing and any correspondence you receive will name the court and the address where you are expected.
Ask the court. Call the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 — court 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 usually lasts around 30 minutes and is not the trial. It is a gatekeeping and dispute-resolution hearing — the judge checks the paperwork, 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 that both parents can agree on, rather than deciding everything there and then.
You will likely be referred on. If issues can't be resolved at the FHDRA, the case is typically listed for further 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 far 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 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 or where you know the device is private.

Links you may find helpful:

A practical first-visit checklist

Before your first visit, work through this list so nothing catches you by surprise:

[ ] Confirm the court name and address on your notice of hearing — make sure your case is listed at King's Lynn Magistrates' Court and Family Court (The Courthouse, College Lane, King's Lynn, PE30 1PQ).
[ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 to confirm.
[ ] Note the counter is by prior appointment only (court open Mon–Fri 9am–4:30pm).
[ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact the court in advance on 0330 808 4407.
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — King's Lynn station is the closest mainline stop; there is no parking at the court.
[ ] Bring your court documents, a form of ID, and anything the court asked you to bring.
[ ] Bring a notebook and pen to record anything important.
[ ] Dress comfortably but respectably; you may be waiting some time.
[ ] Arrange childcare or time off in advance so you are not rushed on the day.
[ ] Prepare in plain words what you want the judge to know, and keep it calm and specific.
[ ] Remember that court staff are there to help you navigate the building and the process — ask for help when you need it.

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, King's Lynn Magistrates' 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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