Bradford Combined Court Centre — self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

Exchange Square, Bradford BD1 1JA

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 Bradford Combined Court Centre 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 Bradford Combined Court Centre, on Exchange Square, Drake Street. It is a combined court — it handles both civil/family county court work and Crown Court crime. The court is open. Use the current official name and address below, and always go to the court named on your notice of hearing.

The essentials first

Official name: Bradford Combined Court Centre
Address: Exchange Square, Drake Street, Bradford, BD1 1JA
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
County Court location code: 141 · Crown Court location code: 402 · DX: DX 702083 Bradford 2
Opening times: Court open 8am–5pm Monday to Friday; bailiff office 8:30am–10am; counter service by appointment only 10am–2pm
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 Bradford Combined Court Centre.

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
Courts and Tribunals Service Centre (magistrates' court enquiries, Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm, Sat 8am–2pm): 0300 332 1000
Witness service: 0300 332 1132
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, please contact 0300 303 0642 in advance.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

enquiries.bradford.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — civil county court enquiries.
familyapplicationsbradford@justice.gov.uk — family court applications.
familyordersbradford@justice.gov.uk — family court orders.
FRBradford@justice.gov.uk — family court financial remedy enquiries.
BradfordFamily@justice.gov.uk — divorce queries.
divorcecase@justice.gov.uk — divorce.
bradford.breathingspace@justice.gov.uk — breathing space enquiries.
Bailiffs.bradford.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — enforcement.
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

Bradford Combined Court Centre sits at Exchange Square, Drake Street, Bradford, BD1 1JA, in the city centre.

By rail: Bradford Interchange and Bradford Forster Square are the city's railway stations; both are a short walk from the Drake Street/Exchange Square area. Check live departures before travelling.
By bus: most Bradford bus services stop at Bradford Interchange, a few minutes' walk from the court. Use a live journey planner to confirm routes and times on the day you travel.
By car: city-centre public car parks are available nearby — 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:

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network: lanyards available on request.
Assistance dogs are welcome.
Hearing loop: the court has hearing enhancement facilities.
Interview rooms: eighteen private interview rooms are available.
Baby changing facility available; prayer/quiet room available.
Video facilities: court/hearing room video conferencing and prison-to-court video link are available by prior arrangement.
Wireless network: access to GovWifi is available.
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact 0300 303 0642 in advance.

What cases this court handles

Bradford Combined Court Centre is a combined court centre (county court, family work and Crown Court). According to the official HMCTS register, the types of law handled here include:

Bankruptcy
Childcare arrangements if you separate from your partner (C100 / child arrangements orders)
Crime (Crown Court) and the single justice procedure
Divorce hearings
Domestic abuse (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
Female genital mutilation protection orders
Forced marriage protection orders
High Court cases
Housing
Money claims

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

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 Bradford Combined Court Centre (Exchange Square, Drake Street, Bradford, BD1 1JA).
[ ] 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 (10am–2pm) — call 0300 123 5577 to arrange.
[ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact the court in advance on 0300 303 0642.
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — confirm how you are getting to Bradford city centre (Bradford Interchange is the closest major transport hub) 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, Bradford 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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