# Kingston upon Thames County Court and Family Court — self-representation guide

> REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-26

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 Kingston upon Thames County Court and Family Court 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.

**The essentials**
- **Address:** Kingston upon Thames County Court and Family Court, Hearing Centre, St James Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT1 2AD
- **Phone (HMCTS court enquiries, official):** 0300 123 5577
- **Phone (switchboard / directory):** 020 8972 8700
- **Phone (counter / appointments, official — counter is by appointment only):** 020 8972 8709
- **Email (enquiries, @justice.gov.uk):** Enquiries.kingston.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
- **Email (family court, @justice.gov.uk):** family.kingston.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
- **County Court location code:** 240 · **DX:** 97890 Kingston-Upon-Thames 3
- **Court type:** County Court and Family Court (handles divorce, childcare arrangements, domestic abuse, and civil claims)
- **Counter opening times (official):** By appointment only — call **020 8972 8709** to make an appointment
- **Court open (official):** Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm
- **verifiedAt:** 2026-08-26 (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 Kingston upon Thames County Court and Family Court.

**Telephone**
- **Court enquiries (county court, private law and C100 enquiries):** 0300 123 5577
- **Switchboard / directory:** 020 8972 8700
- **Counter / appointments (by appointment only):** 020 8972 8709
- If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, please contact the court in advance.

**Email (@justice.gov.uk)**
- General enquiries: Enquiries.kingston.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
- Family court (including C100 applications): family.kingston.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
- Enforcement / bailiffs: Bailiffs.kingston.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
- Breathing space enquiries: kingstonuponthamescounty.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)](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scammers-using-hmcts-telephone-numbers)

## Getting there & access

Kingston upon Thames County Court and Family Court sits at the **Hearing Centre, St James Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT1 2AD**, in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in south-west London. Kingston is a major town-centre transport hub, so plan your journey with a little extra time.

**By train (Kingston station)**
- **Kingston station** is served by **South Western Railway**, with direct services to **London Waterloo, London Bridge, Richmond, Twickenham and Wimbledon**. See the [South Western Railway Kingston page](https://www.southwesternrailway.com/travelling-with-us/at-the-station/kingston) for times and live departures. St James Road is a short walk from the station in the town centre.

**By bus (Transport for London)**
- Local TfL bus routes serve **Kingston town centre** from across south-west London and Surrey (including **65, 71, 85, 111, 131, 213, 281, 285, 371, 406, 418, 481, K1–K5** and more).
- Use the [TfL journey planner](https://tfl.gov.uk/) for the live position on the day.

**By car**
- Parking in Kingston town centre is metered and time-limited. Check on-street and multi-storey signage before you leave the car — policies change and ANPR penalties are common.

> Check live travel before you go — engineering works and disruption 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:

- **Assistance dogs:** welcome.
- **Hidden Disabilities Sunflower scheme:** lanyards are available on request.
- **Interpreting:** an interpreter at a court or tribunal can be arranged — see the official gov.uk language services page.
- If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, please contact the court in advance.

## What cases this court handles

According to the official HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" page, this location handles:

- **Bankruptcy**
- **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**

Not every family case is heard here. If you are unsure whether your matter belongs at Kingston upon Thames:
- **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 cases are one of the case types this court 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 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'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 Kingston upon Thames County Court and Family Court (Hearing Centre, St James Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT1 2AD).
- [ ] 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, **book an appointment in advance** on **020 8972 8709** — the counter is by appointment only.
- [ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact the court in advance.
- [ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — check live train/bus status on South Western Railway and TfL.
- [ ] 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, Kingston upon Thames 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. This page is general information and is **not legal advice**.

**Official forms & guidance (gov.uk):**
- [Kingston upon Thames County Court and Family Court — HMCTS official "Find a court or tribunal" page](https://find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/kingston-upon-thames-county-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)
- [Apply for a divorce](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)
- [Kingston station — South Western Railway (journeys and live departures)](https://www.southwesternrailway.com/travelling-with-us/at-the-station/kingston)

*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.*