McKenzie Friend Brighton — family court support directory
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-09-01
What a McKenzie Friend does in Brighton
If you are a litigant in person at Brighton County Court (William Street) or the Brighton Hearing Centre (1 Edward Street), where family hearings for Brighton are now listed, a McKenzie Friend can sit with you at hearings, take notes, help with case papers, and quietly give advice. They cannot conduct litigation or act as your advocate without the court's permission, and McKenzie Friends are not regulated legal professionals. The judiciary's Practice Guidance on McKenzie Friends sets out their role.
Verified services covering Brighton
- Find a McKenzie Friend (mckenziefriendservice.co.uk) — operates a Brighton family court support page with free consultation, part of the McKenzie Friend UK Network: https://mckenziefriendservice.co.uk/towns/brighton
- McKenzie Friend UK Network (mckenziefrienduk.net) — runs a Brighton family court support page with free consultation and named McKenzie Friends covering Brighton and the wider Sussex courts: https://mckenziefrienduk.net/courts/brighton-family-court.htm
- Sussex Law School McKenzie Friend Service (University of Sussex) — a free service launched by the Family Law Clinic within Sussex Law School, with students supporting litigants attending hearings (including FHDRAs in child arrangement cases) at Brighton's family court; run alongside the clinic's free legal advice appointments: https://sussex.ac.uk/schools/law-politics-and-sociology/about/community/news?id=70278
- Find a McKenzie Friend directory (findamckenziefriend.com) — searchable directory of McKenzie Friends covering East Sussex: https://www.findamckenziefriend.com
Brighton family court
The former Brighton Family Court venue is no longer in service. Family cases in Brighton are now heard at Brighton County Court, William Street, Brighton BN2 0RF, with hearings listed at the Brighton Hearing Centre, 1 Edward Street, Brighton BN2 0JD. Confirm the venue and contact details on the official GOV.UK court finder: https://www.gov.uk/find-court-tribunal
Free alternatives
- Support Through Court — free trained volunteers who support litigants in person (no legal advice): https://supportthroughcourt.org
- Check legal aid eligibility: https://www.gov.uk/check-legal-aid
Things to check before paying anyone
- Ask for written fees, experience, DBS status, and a short CV (judges can require this before allowing assistance).
- McKenzie Friends are unregulated — no required qualifications, training, or insurance. Verify everything yourself before engaging.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Services are listed from their own public websites and directories; always verify directly before engaging anyone. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent directory; we take no referral fees.
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.