Derby Combined Court Centre — family court self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

The Morledge, Derbyshire DE1 2XE

Telephone

0300 123 5577 (family); 0330 808 4424 (public law)

Court location code

185

Verified

2026-08-27

Reviewed by Sean McNamara on 2026-10-21

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 the family court in Derby so you can walk in more prepared and less uncertain. Family matters in Derby are heard at the Derby Combined Court Centre on The Morledge.

The essentials

Family Court address (where family hearings are held): Derby Combined Court Centre, The Morledge, Derby, DE1 2XE
Phone (HMCTS National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court — general & family court enquiries, paper process including C100 and FL401): 0300 123 5577 (Monday–Friday 8.30am–5pm)
Phone (court finance & enforcement enquiries): 01332 622 600
Phone (Divorce Contact Centre): 0300 303 0642 (Monday–Friday 10am–6pm)
Phone (Family public law / children in care, digital cases starting C5): 0330 808 4424
Phone (Jury service): 01332 622 556
Court code / Family Court location code: 185 (County Court location code 185; Crown Court location code 419)
DX: 724060 Derby 21
Court type: Combined Court Centre — County Court, Crown Court and Family Court (handles adoption, divorce, childcare arrangements, domestic abuse, financial remedy and other family matters)
Court opening times (official): Monday–Friday 9am–5pm
Last verified: 2026-08-27 (`verifiedAt`) 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. Use the family court enquiry email for general and C100 (child arrangements) and FL401 (domestic-abuse injunction) applications, and the dedicated private/public-law and financial routes where they apply.

Telephone

Enquiries (National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court — family court, paper process): 0300 123 5577 (Monday–Friday 8.30am–5pm)
Divorce Contact Centre: 0300 303 0642 (Monday–Friday 10am–6pm)
Family public law (children in care, digital cases starting C5, issued via the FPL portal): 0330 808 4424
Court enquiries (Finance and Enforcement): 01332 622 600
Jury service: 01332 622 556
Fax (Civil): 01264 347998

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

Family court (paper process including C100 child arrangements and FL401 domestic-abuse injunctions): family.derby.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Family public law / children in care (digital cases starting C5): contactfpl@justice.gov.uk
Enquiries (County Court): enquiries.derby.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Enquiries (Crown Court): enquiries.derby.crowncourt@justice.gov.uk
Listing (County Court): hearings.derby.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Listing (Crown Court): listing.derby.crowncourt@justice.gov.uk
Enforcement / bailiffs: bailiffs.derby.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Breathing space: derby.breathingspace@justice.gov.uk

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 Derby Combined Court Centre sits on The Morledge in Derby city centre — the offices of the court are entrance B and courtrooms the main entrance — across from the historic Market Hall, a short walk from Derby Railway Station and the main shopping streets.

By train

Derby Railway Station is a short walk away. Derby is a major East Midlands Railway interchange, with regular services from Nottingham, London St Pancras International, Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield. From the station, the court on The Morledge is roughly a 10–15 minute walk across the city centre.
Check live journey planning and service status via National Rail Enquiries before you leave.

By bus

Numerous bus routes stop within the city centre, including around the Morledge, the Bus Station (Derby Bus Station on the Morledge) and the Cathedral Quarter, all within walking distance of the court.

Parking

No on-site visitor parking at the building (official HMCTS details). Paid offsite parking is available within a short distance, including city-centre car parks and the nearby Assembly Rooms / Cathedral Quarter multi-storeys. Plan ahead and allow extra time, as city-centre parking fills early on hearing days.

Building accessibility (official HMCTS details)

Disabled access: the building has a ramp to the entrance, a lift between the ground floor and the first and second floors, and level access into court rooms and hearing rooms.
Assistance dogs: welcome.
Hearing loop: hearing enhancement facilities available by prior arrangement — contact the court office by telephone or email to let them know your requirements.
Video facilities: court/hearing room video conferencing and prison-to-court video link facilities available by prior arrangement.
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network: lanyards available on request.
Interview rooms: available (4 on the ground floor, 6 on the second floor).
Baby changing facility: located in the disabled toilet on the first floor next to the public lift.
Refreshments: water coolers available in public areas on all three floors; the restaurant is currently closed so there is no hot food or drinks on site — bring your own supplies.
Security arch: a security arch is in place — alert the security officer if you have a pacemaker. All visitors and possessions are searched on entry.
For interpreters/translators, see the official interpreter guidance.

What cases this court handles

According to the official HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" page, Derby Combined Court Centre is a Combined Court Centre handling County Court, Crown Court and Family Court work, including:

Adoption
Bankruptcy
Childcare arrangements if you separate from your partner
Divorce hearings
Domestic abuse
Financial remedy
Housing and money claims
Criminal (Crown Court) matters

For family matters this court is a venue for C100 (child arrangements) applications, FL401 (domestic-abuse injunction) applications, divorce, financial remedy, adoption and related private and public-law matters. Family hearings are listed at the Derby Combined Court Centre on The Morledge.

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

Check your court documents. The notice of hearing and any correspondence you received will name the court and address where you are expected.
Ask the listings office. Court staff are there to point you in the right direction. It is always better to ask a question than to arrive at the wrong hearing on the wrong day.

The C100 / FHDRA reality

For most self-representing parents, the journey starts with a C100 application (a child arrangements, prohibited steps or specific issue order). The first hearing is usually a FHDRA (First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment), and it is worth knowing what it actually is.

The FHDRA is not the final hearing and almost never decides the case. Its purpose is for the judge to understand the dispute, check what is agreed and what is not, and identify whether mediation could resolve it without a longer contested hearing.
You may attend by phone or video for many FHDRA hearings, though the judge can direct attendance in person. Confirm the arrangements on your hearing notice — and check whether Derby has listed your hearing for a video/phone link.
Cafcass (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) will usually be involved and will carry out safeguarding checks before this hearing.
The judge will often give directions — things each side must do (for example, attend mediation, file a position statement) before the next hearing. Make a note of every deadline.
You are allowed to take notes and to ask the judge or court staff to explain anything you do not follow. It is far better to ask than to guess.
Bring a copy of your C100 and any response, plus anything the court has asked you to bring.

Domestic abuse / FL401 safety

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, please know you are not alone and the court takes abuse seriously. This court handles domestic abuse matters, and there is help available to you.

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 or to report something that is not an emergency.

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 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:

Financial remedy note

Where a divorce or dissolution also involves dividing money, property and pensions, the court process uses Form E (a full financial statement). Both sides must give full and frank disclosure of their finances — this is a core obligation and the court expects it even from self-representing parties. The aim is often to reach agreement, but the court has the power to make a financial order if you cannot.

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 — Derby Combined Court Centre, The Morledge, Derby, DE1 2XE.
[ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 to confirm.
[ ] Check the court's opening times — court open Monday–Friday 9am–5pm.
[ ] If you have a disability and need help attending (including hearing-loop or wheelchair arrangements), contact the court office in advance on 0300 123 5577.
[ ] Plan your journey and parking (no on-site parking; allow extra time for city-centre paid parking).
[ ] Remember there is no hot food or drinks on site (restaurant closed) — the only refreshments are water coolers, so bring food/drink if you expect a long wait.
[ ] Bring your court documents, a form of ID, and anything the court asked you to bring (including a copy of your C100 or FL401).
[ ] Bring a notebook and pen to record anything important.
[ ] Expect a security arch and a search on entry — arrive with time to spare; alert security if you have a pacemaker.
[ ] 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, Derby 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.

Official forms & guidance (gov.uk):

Preparing your own papers for a hearing at Derby Combined Court 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.

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