# Grimsby Family Court — self-representation guide

> REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27

If you are representing yourself in a family matter in and around Grimsby (North East Lincolnshire), you are not alone. This guide lays out, plainly and without judgement, what to expect so you can walk into your hearing 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.

**A quick, important note on the name:** family business for the Grimsby area is heard at the **Grimsby Magistrates' Court and Family Court**, at 8 Victoria Street. If your papers say "Grimsby Family Court" or "Grimsby Magistrates' Court", that is the same venue — go by the court and address named on your notice of hearing. Divorce and some family civil work in Grimsby is also handled at the **Great Grimsby Combined Court Centre** on Town Hall Square; the two venues are a short distance apart and both use the same family filing route (family.grimsby.countycourt@justice.gov.uk).

**The essentials**
- **Court for family matters (official):** Grimsby Magistrates' Court and Family Court, 8 Victoria Street, Grimsby, DN31 1NH
- **Phone (family court direct):** 01472 265250
- **Phone (HMCTS National Contact Centre — civil & family, UK-wide):** 0300 123 5577 (Mon–Fri 8.30am–5pm)
- **Phone (Divorce Contact Centre):** 0300 303 0642 (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm)
- **Phone (Magistrates' Court enquiries):** 0330 808 4407 (Mon–Fri 8.30am–5pm, Sat 8am–2pm)
- **Phone (disability help coming to a hearing):** 0330 808 4407
- **Email (family court):** family.grimsby.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
- **Email (court listing enquiries):** hu-grimsbymclist@justice.gov.uk
- **Email (mediation enquiries):** scmenquiries@justice.gov.uk
- **Magistrates' Court location code:** 1980 · **DX:** 707680 Grimsby 5
- **Court type:** Magistrates' Court and Family Court (handles child arrangements, domestic abuse, adoption, crime and single-justice work; family proceedings are usually heard in private)
- **Counter / building opening times (official):** court open 9am–5pm and counter open 9am–4pm, Monday to Friday
- **verifiedAt:** 2026-08-27 (checked against the official HMCTS page)

## Contact and enquiries (official HMCTS details)

These are the contact routes associated with this venue on the official HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" page, with the family-relevant lines pulled out.

**Telephone**
- **Grimsby family court queries** (private law, including C100): **01472 265250**
- **National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court** (Mon–Fri 8.30am–5pm): **0300 123 5577** — the main national route for paper-based civil and family applications.
- **Divorce Contact Centre** (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm): **0300 303 0642**
- **Magistrates' Court enquiries** (single justice and criminal): **0330 808 4407**
- **Family public law / children in care (digital C5 process):** **0330 808 4424**
- **Fine queries and payments:** **0114 276 0760**
- If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance on **0330 808 4407**.

**Email (@justice.gov.uk)**
- Family court (private law incl. C100 and divorce filing): family.grimsby.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
- Court listing enquiries: hu-grimsbymclist@justice.gov.uk
- Mediation enquiries: scmenquiries@justice.gov.uk
- Magistrates' Court enquiries: contactcrime@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 matter to Action Fraud. [HMCTS scam warning (gov.uk)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scammers-using-hmcts-telephone-numbers)

## Getting there & access

The Grimsby Magistrates' Court and Family Court sits at **8 Victoria Street, Grimsby, DN31 1NH**, in the town centre of North East Lincolnshire. Arriving early is a good idea; attendance at court moves quickly.

**By train**
- **Grimsby Town** is the nearest mainline station, served by TransPennine Express, East Midlands Railway and Northern with connections along the south bank of the Humber. The court is roughly a 10–15 minute walk (or a short taxi/bus ride) from the station. See [National Rail Enquiries for live departures](https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/).

**By bus / coach**
- The **Riverhead Exchange** and **Corporation Bridge** stops are within a few minutes' walk, with local Stagecoach routes terminating on Victoria Street itself. See the local journey planner for live times.

**By car**
- There is **no public customer parking at the venue** — the on-site car park is not available for public access. Use nearby town-centre parking and check signage and restrictions carefully before you leave.

> Check live travel before you go — engineering works, roadworks and traffic 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:** disabled access and a disabled toilet.
- **Parking:** no public customer parking at the venue — use town-centre parking.
- **Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network:** lanyards available on request.
- **Assistance dogs:** welcome.
- **Hearing Loop:** hearing enhancement facilities available in the courtrooms and at the reception desk.
- **Refreshments:** snack and drink vending machine on the ground floor.
- **Interview rooms:** 5 rooms on the ground and first floors.
- **Baby changing facility:** available in the disabled toilets on the ground floor.
- **Video facilities:** court/hearing room video conferencing and prison-to-court video links available by prior arrangement.
- **Witness Service:** available — witnessservice.org.uk.
- **Translators / interpreters:** see the gov.uk interpreter guidance.
- If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance on **0330 808 4407**.

## What this court handles

On the official HMCTS page this venue is listed for **adoption, childcare arrangements if you separate from your partner, crime, domestic abuse, single justice procedure and benefits**. Family-relevant work handled here includes:
- Family law applications — child arrangements orders (C100), prohibited steps and specific issue orders
- Adoption applications
- Domestic abuse matters (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
- Divorce and financial remedy on divorce (filed via the Divorce Contact Centre / family filing route)

Divorce hearings and some family civil work for the area are listed at the **Great Grimsby Combined Court Centre**, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, DN31 1HX — a short distance from Victoria Street. Both venues share the same family filing email (family.grimsby.countycourt@justice.gov.uk).

Not every family case will be heard in Grimsby. If you are unsure where your matter belongs:
- **Check your court documents.** The notice of hearing and any correspondence you receive will name the court and address where you are expected, which is definitive.
- **Ask the court.** Call the Grimsby family court line on **01472 265250** or the HMCTS National Contact Centre on **0300 123 5577**, referencing your case number.

## 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.** The court has a **Witness Service** on site. 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 help is available. Domestic-abuse matters are among the case types this court deals with.
**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.
- **Courts (domestic abuse / FL401):** call **0300 123 5577** (National Contact Centre) or the Grimsby family court line on **01472 265250**.

**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, 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 can access, so take care when researching this information or applying for an order. If you are worried your device may be monitored, use 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 it matches the venue your case is listed at (Grimsby Magistrates' Court and Family Court, 8 Victoria Street, Grimsby, DN31 1NH).
- [ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the Grimsby family court line on **01472 265250** or the HMCTS National Contact Centre on **0300 123 5577**, referencing your case number.
- [ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact the court in advance on **0330 808 4407**.
- [ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — check live train/bus status before you travel.
- [ ] 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 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, Grimsby Magistrates' Court and Family Court, 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. This page is general information and is **not legal advice**.

**Official forms & guidance (gov.uk):**
- [Grimsby Magistrates' Court and Family Court — HMCTS official "Find a court or tribunal" page](https://find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/grimsby-magistrates-court-and-family-court)
- [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)
- [C110A — Application for a care or supervision order or an Emergency Protection Order](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-c110a-application-for-a-care-or-supervision-order-or-an-emergency-protection-order)
- [Child adoption — applying for an adoption court order](https://www.gov.uk/child-adoption/applying-for-an-adoption-court-order)
- [Find a solicitor (Law Society)](https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/)
- [What to expect coming to a court or tribunal](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-expect-coming-to-a-court-or-tribunal)
- [Get an interpreter at a court or tribunal](https://www.gov.uk/get-interpreter-at-court-or-tribunal)
- [Witness service](https://www.witnessservice.org.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.*