# Chesterfield Justice Centre — self-representation guide

> **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 Chesterfield 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 **Chesterfield Justice Centre** — there is no separate "Chesterfield County Court and Family Court" on the register, but this centre **does hear family matters** (child arrangements, divorce and domestic abuse are listed case types). **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 (per HMCTS register):** Chesterfield Justice Centre
- **Address:** Chesterfield Justice Centre, Tapton Lane, Chesterfield, S41 7TW
- **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
- **Email (county court matters):** chesterfieldcountycourt@justice.gov.uk
- **Location codes:** County Court 171 · **DX:** DX 703160 Chesterfield 3
- **Opening times:** court open Mon–Fri 9am–4pm; counter 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 Chesterfield 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
- **Magistrates' Court Enquiries – Courts and Tribunals Service Centre:** 0330 808 4407 (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm, Sat 8am–2pm)
- If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing before the Civil and Family Court, please contact **01246 224040** in advance.

**Email (@justice.gov.uk)**
- **chesterfieldcountycourt@justice.gov.uk** — county court matters.
- **chesterfield.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)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scammers-using-hmcts-telephone-numbers)

## Getting there & access

Chesterfield Justice Centre sits on **Tapton Lane, Chesterfield, S41 7TW**, just outside the town centre.

- **By rail:** **Chesterfield** station is the mainline stop, served by cross-country, East Midlands Railway and Northern services. The court is a short taxi or bus ride from the station. Check live departures before travelling.
- **By bus:** local bus services run between Chesterfield town centre and the Tapton Lane area. Use a live journey planner to confirm routes and times on the day you travel.
- **By car:** blue badge parking is available on Tapton Lane. Paid off-site parking is available within 500m of the venue, on Tapton Lane and Durrant Road — check signage, time limits and charges before you leave the car.

> 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:

- **Important:** the public entrance to the tribunal hearing rooms is located **away from the main entrance, in Durrant Road**.
- **Disabled access:** if you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing before the Civil and Family Court, contact **01246 224040** in advance.
- **Other support:** hearing enhancement facilities available by prior arrangement; assistance dogs welcome; Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards available on request.

## What cases this court handles

Chesterfield Justice Centre is a **combined justice centre** (County Court, Family Court and magistrates' business). According to the official HMCTS register, the types of law handled here include:

- **Childcare arrangements** if you separate from your partner (C100 / child arrangements orders)
- **Divorce** hearings
- **Domestic abuse** (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
- Housing and money claims
- High Court cases — serious or high-profile criminal or civil matters
- Crime, single justice procedure and benefits
- Breathing space

Not every family case is heard here. If you are unsure whether your matter belongs at Chesterfield:
- **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:
- [Domestic violence – injunctions (non-molestation and occupation orders) — official gov.uk guide](https://www.gov.uk/injunction-domestic-violence)
- [Refuge — National Domestic Abuse Helpline (need help now)](https://refuge.org.uk/i-need-help-now/how-we-can-help-you/national-domestic-abuse-helpline)

## 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 Chesterfield Justice Centre (Tapton Lane, Chesterfield, S41 7TW).
- [ ] 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** (court open Mon–Fri 9am–4pm).
- [ ] If you have a disability and need help attending a Civil and Family hearing, contact **01246 224040** in advance.
- [ ] Remember the tribunal hearing room entrance is in **Durrant Road**, away from the main entrance.
- [ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — blue badge parking on Tapton Lane; paid parking within 500m.
- [ ] 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.

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**YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory** — we are **not** affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to HMCTS, Chesterfield 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):**
- [Chesterfield Justice Centre — HMCTS official "Find a court or tribunal" page](https://find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/chesterfield-justice-centre)
- [C100 — Apply for a court order about a child (child arrangements, prohibited steps or specific issue order)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-c100-application-under-the-children-act-1989-for-a-child-arrangements-prohibited-steps-specific-issue-section-8-order-or-to-vary-or-discharge)
- [Apply for a child arrangements order / court order](https://www.gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce/apply-for-court-order)
- [FL401 — Apply for a non-molestation or occupation order (domestic abuse)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-fl401-application-for-a-non-molestation-order-or-an-occupation-order)
- [Domestic violence – injunctions (non-molestation and occupation orders)](https://www.gov.uk/injunction-domestic-violence)
- [Apply for a divorce (gov.uk)](https://www.gov.uk/divorce)
- [Find a solicitor (Law Society)](https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/)
- [Support Through Court (independent charity for litigants in person)](https://supportthroughcourt.org/)
- [What to expect when you come to court](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-expect-coming-to-a-court-or-tribunal)

*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.*