Southampton County Court, Family Court and Crown Court (Southampton Combined Court Centre) — self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

The Courts of Justice, London Road, Hampshire SO15 2XQ

Telephone

0300 123 5577; 0300 303 0642 (divorce)

Court location code

328

Verified

2026-08-27

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 when your family case is heard at the Southampton Combined Court Centre (the home of the County Court, Family Court and Crown Court in Southampton) 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 name. HMCTS's active listing is Southampton Combined Court Centre, at The Courts of Justice, London Road, Southampton. The Family Court and the County Court sit at this same building and share the same address and contact centre. If your paperwork names the "Southampton County and Family Court", the notice of hearing will confirm the address — but the building to go to for family and civil matters is the Combined Court Centre on London Road. The court is open. Always go to the court named on your notice of hearing.

The essentials

Address: Southampton Combined Court Centre (County Court, Family Court and Crown Court), The Courts of Justice, London Road, Southampton, SO15 2XQ
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 (Crown Court): 0238 021 3200
Email (family matters): family.southampton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Email (county/civil matters): civil.southampton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
County Court location code: 328 · Family Court location code: 328 · Crown Court location code: 454 · DX: DX 111000 Southampton 11
Court type: County Court, Family Court and Crown Court (handles adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse, financial remedy, housing, money claims and more)
Court open (official): Monday to Friday 8:30am–5pm; counter service by appointment only (call 0300 123 5577 to book); telephone enquiries answered Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
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 Southampton Combined Court Centre.

Telephone

Crown Court: 0238 021 3200
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) — digital process (case numbers starting with C5): 0330 808 4424
Finances: 01292 711 880 · Mediation: 01604 795 511 · Payments: 01633 645 112
Social security and child support: 0300 123 1142
Witness service: 0300 332 1337
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, please contact the court on 0300 123 5577 in advance (for disabled parking, arrange ahead with the court office on 02380 213200).

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

family.southampton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — all Family matters (paper process, including C100 applications).
civil.southampton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — all Civil (County Court) matters.
southamptoncrown@justice.gov.uk — Crown Court matters (also used for video-link bookings).
contactfpl@justice.gov.uk — family public law (children in care), digital process for case numbers starting with C5.
southampton.breathingspace@justice.gov.uk — breathing space enquiries.
sscsa-cardiff@justice.gov.uk — social security and child support.
southampton.cc@citizensadvice.org.uk — witness service (Citizens Advice).
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

Southampton Combined Court Centre stands at The Courts of Justice, London Road, Southampton, SO15 2XQ.

By rail: Southampton Central is the main station for the city; the court is a short walk or taxi/bus ride from the station. Check live departures before travelling.
By bus: local bus routes serving the city centre and London Road stop close to the court. Use a live journey planner to confirm routes and times on the day you travel.
By car: the official page notes two council-run public car parks within a 10 minute walk of the court building. 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: disabled access and toilet facilities are available. Disabled parking is available but must be arranged prior to your visit so spaces suit your requirements — contact the court office in advance on 02380 213200.
Hearing loop: loop facilities are available in all court and hearing rooms.
Refreshments: the Flying Aubergine Cafe on the ground floor is open from 9:30am until 2pm.
Interview rooms: three interview rooms on the upper floor and four in the family suite.
Baby changing: a private room for baby changing and feeding is available.
Video facilities: Prison Video Link is available, also for conferences and legal visits (book via southamptoncrown@justice.gov.uk, subject "Video Link Booking", or call 02380 213223).
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower: lanyards available on request. Guide dogs (assistance dogs) are welcome.
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance on 0300 123 5577.

What cases this court handles

Southampton Combined Court Centre is home to the County Court, Family Court and Crown Court. According to the official HMCTS register, the types of law handled here include:

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
Claims against employers
Housing
Money claims
Bankruptcy, Benefits, Business and Property and Single justice procedure (also listed as types handled here)
High Court cases (serious or high-profile criminal or civil law cases)

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

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 Southampton Combined Court Centre (The Courts of Justice, London Road, Southampton, SO15 2XQ).
[ ] 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, note it is by appointment only (court open Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm) — call 0300 123 5577 to book.
[ ] If you have a disability and need help attending (or need to arrange disabled parking), contact the court in advance on 0300 123 5577 / 02380 213200.
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — confirm how you are getting to Southampton (Southampton Central is the main station) and check live rail/bus status.
[ ] 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, Southampton 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, 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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