Horsham County Court and Family Court — self-representation guide

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29

If you are representing yourself in a family matter in Horsham, you are not alone. This guide lays out, plainly and without judgement, what to expect when your case is heard at Horsham County Court and Family Court (The Law Courts, Hurst Road), 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 2026-08-29.

The essentials

• Address (visit): The Law Courts, Hurst Road, Horsham, RH12 2ET
• Postal address (write to us): Brighton County Court, William Street, Brighton, BN2 0RF (Horsham's post is handled via Brighton — always check your court correspondence)
• 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
• Phone (family public law / children in care): 0330 808 4424
• Email (family matters): sussexfamily@justice.gov.uk
• Email (county/civil matters): hearings.brighton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
• County Court location code: 150 · Family Court location code: 554
• Court type: County Court and Family Court (adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse, housing and money claims; also Breathing Space)
• Court open (official): Monday to Friday 9am–4pm; counter by appointment only
• verifiedAt: 2026-08-29 (checked against the official HMCTS page)

Contact and enquiries (official HMCTS details)

These are the contact routes listed on the official HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" page for Horsham County Court and Family Court.

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): 0330 808 4424 (digital process for case numbers starting with C5)
• If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

• sussexfamily@justice.gov.uk — family enquiries.
• hearings.brighton.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — civil (County Court) enquiries.
• brighton.breathingspace@justice.gov.uk — Breathing Space (debt) 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

Horsham County Court and Family Court is at The Law Courts, Hurst Road, Horsham, RH12 2ET, a short walk from Horsham town centre.

• By rail: Horsham station is the mainline stop (served by Southern and Thameslink), within walking distance of Hurst Road. Check live departures before travelling.
• By bus: local routes serve Horsham town centre, close to the court. Use a live journey planner to confirm routes and times on the day.
• By car: there is no parking at the court. The closest public parking is the car park at the Pavilions Leisure Centre in Hurst Road. Check charges and time limits before you leave the car, and plan to arrive early.

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: level access to the building entrance and the courtroom.
• Hearing loop: hearing enhancement facilities are available by prior arrangement — contact the court office by telephone or email in advance.
• Interview rooms: 4 interview rooms available on the ground floor.
• Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards available on request, and assistance dogs are welcome.
• If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance (0300 123 5577).

What cases this court handles

According to the official HMCTS register, this location handles:

• Adoption
• Childcare arrangements if you separate from your partner (C100 / child arrangements orders)
• Divorce hearings
• Domestic abuse (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
• Housing
• Money claims
• Breathing Space (debt respite scheme) enquiries

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

• 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 normally 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 cannot 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
• Refuge — National Domestic Abuse Helpline (need help now)

Financial remedy note

If your case involves dividing money or property after a separation (a financial remedy application), the court will expect full and honest disclosure of your finances on Form E — every bank account, pension, asset and debt. Full and frank disclosure is not optional; hiding or understating assets can unravel an entire agreement or order later. See the official guidance and forms at gov.uk — money and property when you divorce or separate.

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 Horsham County Court and Family Court (The Law Courts, Hurst Road, Horsham, RH12 2ET).
• [ ] 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 (court open Mon–Fri 9am–4pm) — call 0300 123 5577 to arrange.
• [ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact the court in advance — including any hearing-loop arrangement.
• [ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — Horsham station is the closest mainline stop; there is no parking at the court (use the Pavilions Leisure Centre car park in Hurst Road).
• [ ] 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.

Official forms & guidance (gov.uk)

• Form C100 — apply for a child arrangements order
• Form FL401 — apply for a non-molestation or occupation order
• Form D8 — apply for a divorce or dissolution
• Money and property when you divorce or separate (financial remedy, Form E)
• Find a legal adviser or solicitor
• What to expect coming to a court or tribunal

YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory — we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to HMCTS, Horsham County 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, because court listing and status information changes. This page is general information and is not legal advice.