Northampton Crown, County and Family Court — self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

85-87 Lady's Lane, Northamptonshire NN1 3HQ

Telephone

0300 123 5577

Court location code

282

Verified

2026-08-27

A calm, practical guide to representing yourself at the Northampton Crown, County and Family Court, the building on Lady's Lane that houses Northampton's family, county and crown courts together. It is written in plain English, takes you through the building, the types of case it hears, and the realities you are likely to face on the day. Nothing here replaces tailored legal advice for your own situation.

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27

If you are representing yourself in a family matter in Northampton, you are not alone. This guide lays out, plainly and without judgement, what to expect so you can walk into your hearing 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 for this building.

The essentials

Official court name: Northampton Crown, County and Family Court
Address: 85-87 Lady's Lane, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 3HQ
Main enquiries (HMCTS National Contact Centre — civil & family, Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm): 0300 123 5577
Crown court enquiries (direct): 01604 470 400
Family court email (including C100 applications): family.northampton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
County court email: enquiries.northampton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Family public law / children in care (digital cases starting C5): 0330 808 4424
Divorce Contact Centre: 0300 303 0642 (Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm)
Witness service: 0300 332 1000
Court open: 8:30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
Court location codes: Crown Court 442 · County Court 282 · Family Court 282 · DX: 725380 Northampton 21
Court type: The building houses the town's family court, county court and crown court together.
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 Northampton Crown, County and Family Court, with the family-relevant lines pulled out.

Telephone

National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court (Mon–Fri, 8:30am–5pm): 0300 123 5577 — the main route for most court enquiries (and adoptions).
Divorce Contact Centre: 0300 303 0642 (Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm).
Family public law / children in care (digital cases starting C5): 0330 808 4424.
Crown court enquiries (direct line): 01604 470 400.
Witness service: 0300 332 1000.
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, please contact the court in advance.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

Family court (including C100 applications): family.northampton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
County court enquiries: enquiries.northampton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Crown court: enquiries.northampton.crowncourt@justice.gov.uk
Bailiffs / enforcement: bailiffs.northampton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Breathing Space / debt advice (county court): contact via the court's county court route or the National Contact Centre.

A note on the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC): The CNBC (formerly CCBC), home of Money Claim Online, is also based in Northampton but is an entirely separate entity to this court. Northampton Crown, County and Family Court cannot answer queries on behalf of the CNBC.

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 matter to Action Fraud. HMCTS scam warning (gov.uk)

Getting there & access

Northampton Crown, County and Family Court sits at 85-87 Lady's Lane, Northampton, NN1 3HQ, close to the town centre.

By train

Northampton station is served by West Midlands Trains / London Northwestern services from London Euston, Birmingham and elsewhere. From the station, the court is a short bus or taxi ride into the centre; it is also walkable but is around a 20-minute walk, so plan ahead. See National Rail Enquiries for live departures.

By bus / car

The court is within reach of Northampton's town-centre bus network.
There is no parking at the court itself. However, paid off-site parking is available within about 50 metres at the Upper Mounts and Newlands car parks.

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

For safety and security, all users and their possessions are searched by security on entry — there is a security arch, and if you have a pacemaker you should alert the security officer.

Facilities and accessibility (official HMCTS details)

Per the official HMCTS page for this court:

Disabled access: available (please contact the court in advance if you need help coming to a hearing).
Security: security arch on entry (alert the officer if you have a pacemaker); all users and their possessions are searched on entry.
Refreshments: the on-site cafeteria is currently unavailable — bring water/snacks or plan to use nearby shops.
Interview / consultation rooms: private interview rooms are available on the first floor.
Baby changing facility: available in the ground floor public toilets.
Witness service: available (0300 332 1000).
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance.

What this court handles

Northampton Crown, County and Family Court is a combined crown, county and family court. On the official HMCTS page, the work this location handles includes:

Adoption
Bankruptcy
Childcare arrangements if you separate from your partner (C100 / child arrangements orders)
Crime
Divorce hearings
Domestic abuse (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
High Court cases — serious or high-profile criminal or civil law cases
Housing
Money claims
Benefits (Breathing Space)

Not every family case will be heard at this court. If you are unsure where your matter belongs:

Check your court documents. The notice of hearing and any correspondence you receive will name the court and address where you are expected, which is definitive.
Ask the court. Call the HMCTS National Contact Centre on 0300 123 5577 and staff will 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 charities such as Support Through Court assist litigants across England and Wales (supportthroughcourt.org / 0300 030 1959 — check availability in Northampton). 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 help is available. Domestic-abuse matters are among the case types handled at this court. 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 or to report something that is not an emergency.

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, 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 can access, so take care when researching this information or applying for an order. If you are worried your device may be monitored, use 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 it matches the venue your case is listed at (typically Northampton Crown, County and Family Court, 85-87 Lady's Lane, Northampton, NN1 3HQ).
[ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the HMCTS National Contact Centre on 0300 123 5577 about your case, referencing your case number.
[ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact the court in advance.
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — check live train/bus status before you travel, and note there is no on-site parking (paid parking nearby at Upper Mounts / Newlands).
[ ] 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, plus water/snacks (the on-site cafeteria is currently unavailable).
[ ] Dress comfortably but respectably — you may be waiting some time; remember there is a security search on entry.
[ ] 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 and reachable staff are there to help you navigate the building and 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, Northampton Crown, County 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. 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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