Oxford 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, you are not alone. This guide lays out, plainly and without judgement, what to expect at Oxford 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.

The essentials

• Address: Oxford Combined Court Centre, St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1TL
• Phone (HMCTS civil & family enquiries, official): 0300 123 5577 (National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court — Monday to Friday 8:30am–5pm)
• Phone (divorce enquiries, official): 0300 303 0642 (Divorce Contact Centre — Monday to Friday 10am–6pm)
• Phone (Crown Court enquiries, official): 01865 264200
• Phone (family public law / children in care, official): 0330 808 4424 (digital process for case numbers starting with C5)
• Email (family court, incl. C100 paper applications): family.oxford.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
• Email (county court enquiries): enquiries.oxford.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
• Email (enforcement / bailiffs — warrants only): OxfordWOCSC@justice.gov.uk
• County Court location code: 291 · Family Court location code: 291 · Crown Court location code: 445 · DX: 96450 Oxford 4
• Court type: County Court and Family Court (handles adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse, FGM, financial remedy, forced marriage, housing and money claims)
• Court open (official): Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm
• Counter (official): By prior appointment only
• 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 Oxford Combined Court Centre.

Telephone

• Court enquiries (civil & family): 0300 123 5577 (Mon–Fri, 8:30am–5pm)
• Divorce enquiries: 0300 303 0642 (Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm)
• Crown Court enquiries: 01865 264200
• Family public law (children in care): 0330 808 4424 (digital process for case numbers starting with C5)
• Jury service: 01865 264217
• Witness service: 0300 332 1000
• Enforcement: 01865 264273
• Social security and child support: 0300 123 1142
• If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact 0300 123 5577.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

• Crown Court: enquiries.oxford.crowncourt@justice.gov.uk
• County court: enquiries.oxford.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
• Family court (paper process, including C100 applications): family.oxford.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
• Family public law (children in care — digital process, case numbers starting with C5): contactfpl@justice.gov.uk
• Enforcement / bailiffs (warrants only): OxfordWOCSC@justice.gov.uk
• Financial remedy: FRCthamesvalley@justice.gov.uk
• Breathing space enquiries: oxford.breathingspace@justice.gov.uk
• Social security and child support: contactsscs@justice.gov.uk

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

Oxford Combined Court Centre is at St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1TL — a distinctive neoclassical building of yellow ashlar stone on St Aldates, opposite Christ Church College, in the historic city centre.

• By rail: Oxford station is well served by trains on the Cotswold Line and from London Marylebone. The court is around 15 minutes' walk from the station through the city centre (Park End Street → Hythe Bridge Street → George Street → Queen Street → St Aldates).
• By bus: Multiple local routes serve St Aldates near the court — check live services on the day.
• By car / parking: There is no court parking — the court has no parking facilities. HMCTS recommends using the Park and Ride facilities around the city. Allow extra time.

Check live travel before you go — engineering works and disruption 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: a lift suitable for wheelchairs accesses all areas.
• Assistance dogs: welcome.
• Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network: lanyards available on request.
• Hearing loop: hearing enhancement facilities available at one counter, and available for use in courtrooms.
• Refreshments: a cafe on the first floor where food and drink can be purchased.
• Interview rooms: available on the first floor.
• Children in the building: children are not allowed unaccompanied in the building.
• Baby changing facility: on the ground and first floors.
• Video facilities: court hearing room video conferencing and prison-to-court video link facilities available by prior arrangement.
• Wireless network: access to GovWifi available.
• Translators / interpreters: an interpreter at a court or tribunal can be arranged — see the official gov.uk language services page.
• If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact 0300 123 5577.

What cases this court handles

According to the official HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" page, this location handles:

• 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)
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
• Financial Remedy
• Forced marriage
• High Court cases — serious or high profile criminal or civil law cases
• Housing
• Money claims
• Single justice procedure

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

• 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 cases are one of the case types this court 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 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, 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:

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

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 Oxford Combined Court Centre (St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1TL).
• [ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 to confirm.
• [ ] If you need to use the counter, book an appointment in advance — the counter is by prior appointment only.
• [ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact 0300 123 5577 in advance.
• [ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — note there is no court car park, so allow for Park and Ride or public transport.
• [ ] 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 — and note children are not allowed unaccompanied in the building.
• [ ] 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, Oxford Combined Court 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. This page is general information and is not legal advice.

Official forms & guidance (gov.uk):

• Oxford Combined Court Centre — HMCTS official "Find a court or tribunal" page
• C100 — Apply for a court order about a child (child arrangements, prohibited steps or specific issue order)
• Apply for a child arrangements order / court order
• FL401 — Apply for a non-molestation or occupation order (domestic abuse)
• Domestic violence – injunctions (non-molestation and occupation orders)
• Apply for a divorce
• 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.