Chester Civil and Family Justice Centre — self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

Trident House, Little St John Street, Chester CH1 1SN

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 Chester Civil and Family Justice 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 Chester Civil and Family Justice Centre. The building you visit is in Chester city centre (CH1 1DF); post goes to a separate write-to address (CH1 1SN). The court is open. Use the current official name and addresses below, and always go to the court named on your notice of hearing.

The essentials first

Official name: Chester Civil and Family Justice Centre
Visiting address: Chester, CH1 1DF (off-site parking within 100m of the venue on Pepper Street)
Write-to address: Trident House, Little St John Street, Chester, CH1 1SN
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: 170 · DX: DX 702460 Chester 4
Opening times: Court open Monday to Friday 9am–4pm; telephone enquiries answered Monday to Friday 9am–5pm; bailiff office 9:30am–10:30am; counter open by prior appointment only (High Court 10am–4pm)
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 Chester Civil and Family Justice 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
Family public law (children in care), digital process (case numbers starting C5): 0330 808 4424
Social security and child support: 0300 123 1142
Facilities / disability access help (if you need help coming to a hearing): 01244 404262
Video facilities queries: 01244 404 274 or 257

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

civil.chester.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — civil court matters.
family.chester.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — family court matters.
adoptions.chester@justice.gov.uk — adoption matters.
contactfpl@justice.gov.uk — family public law (children in care), digital process for case numbers starting with C5.
sscsa-liverpool@justice.gov.uk — social security and child support.
chester.breathingspace@justice.gov.uk — breathing space enquiries.
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

The court sits in Chester city centre (CH1 1DF). There is no on-site parking — paid off-site parking is available within 100m of the venue on Pepper Street.

By rail: Chester station is the mainline station, served by Transport for Wales, Avanti West Coast and Merseyrail. From the station it is roughly a 10–15 minute walk into the city centre. Check live departures before travelling.
By bus: Chester's bus interchange is close to the city centre, a short walk from the court. Use a live journey planner to confirm routes and times on the day you travel.
By car: use the Pepper Street car parks or other city-centre car parks within 100m — 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: the building has level access to the building entrance, and court room. If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact 01244 404262.
Lifts are available to access all floors.
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network: lanyards available on request.
Assistance dogs are welcome.
Hearing loop: a portable hearing enhancement system is available by prior arrangement — contact the court by telephone or email with your requirements.
Security arch: all users and their possessions will be searched by security on entry; alert the security officer if you have a pacemaker.
Public toilets on all floors; accessible toilets on the ground, first and third floors.
Refreshments: vending machine and water cooler.
Interview rooms: private interview rooms on the ground, first and second floors.
Children's waiting room: a children's area on the second floor.
Baby changing: facilities on the ground, first and third floors.
Video facilities: video conference facilities (excluding prison-to-court video links) — queries to 01244 404 274 or 257.
Wi-Fi is available in all areas of the building.
On-site support: Support Through Court (previously the PSU) is available on site to provide assistance — www.supportthroughcourt.org.

What cases this court handles

Chester Civil and Family Justice Centre is a civil and family justice centre. According to the official HMCTS register, the types of law handled here include:

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

Note: the register lists no divorce hearings line for this location — if your matter is a divorce case, confirm with the court on 0300 123 5577 that it is listed here.

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

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 is on site at this court and 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 Chester Civil and Family Justice Centre (Chester, CH1 1DF).
[ ] 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 prior appointment only — call 0300 123 5577 to arrange.
[ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact the court in advance on 01244 404262.
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — confirm how you are getting to Chester city centre (Chester station is the closest mainline stop) and check live rail/bus status.
[ ] Remember there is no on-site parking — use the Pepper Street car parks within 100m or come by 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.
[ ] 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, Chester Civil and Family Justice 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.

Preparing your own papers for a hearing at Chester Civil and Family Justice Centre? EvidenceCanvas is an online tool for people who represent themselves in the family court. You add your messages, letters and orders, and it helps you put together a chronology, an exhibit bundle and a draft statement. It checks its own drafts and points out anything to fix. You check and finish every document yourself.

It is a paid tool with monthly plans and one-off options, and a limited free plan to try it. Check the current prices on its website before you choose a plan. It is not a law firm, it does not give legal advice and it cannot tell you how your case will turn out. If you can get legal advice or legal aid, consider that first.

Create an EvidenceCanvas account

YourFamilyCase and EvidenceCanvas are both owned by Noverquis Ltd.