Sunderland County, Family, Magistrates' and Tribunal Hearings — self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

Gillbridge Avenue, Tyne and Wear SR1 3AP

Telephone

0300 123 5577; 0300 303 0642 (divorce)

Court location code

343

Verified

2026-08-27

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27

If you are representing yourself in a family matter in Sunderland, you are not alone. This guide lays out, plainly and without judgement, what to expect when your family case is heard at Sunderland County, Family, Magistrates' and Tribunal Hearings, 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 2026-08-27.

About the name and venue. HMCTS now lists the family venue in Sunderland under the combined title "Sunderland County, Family, Magistrates' and Tribunal Hearings", housed at the building on Gillbridge Avenue. This single building serves the county, family, magistrates' and tribunal courts together. Note: the older "Sunderland County Court and Family Court" was formally identified at 44 John Street, SR1 1RB; the current HMCTS register gives Gillbridge Avenue, SR1 3AP as the family venue, so go to the address on your notice of hearing and confirm with the court before travelling. Your notice may reference the court by either name — the family venue is at Gillbridge Avenue. County Court location code is 343.

The essentials

Official family venue: Sunderland County, Family, Magistrates' and Tribunal Hearings, Gillbridge Avenue, Sunderland SR1 3AP
Also known as: Sunderland County Court and Family Court (older name/address — confirm the venue on your notice of hearing)
Phone (main court / disability help): 0330 808 4407 (Courts and Tribunals Service Centre, Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm, Sat 8am–2pm)
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 – C5 cases): 0330 808 4424
Email (family queries): family.sunderland.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Email (civil queries): civil.sunderland.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Email (family public law / children in care): contactfpl@justice.gov.uk
County Court location code: 343 · Magistrates' location code: 2365 · DX: 65149 Sunderland 2
Court type: County and family court (adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse, and more)
Counter (official): 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday, by appointment only (cashless office in operation)
Open (official): court building 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday
verifiedAt: 2026-08-27 (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 Sunderland County, Family, Magistrates' and Tribunal Hearings.

Telephone

Main court switchboard / general enquiries (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm, Sat 8am–2pm): 0330 808 4407
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 (digital process, C5 cases): 0330 808 4424
Witness Service: 0300 332 1352
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact 0330 808 4407 in advance.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

family.sunderland.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — family matters
civil.sunderland.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — civil (county court) queries
bailiffs.sunderland.countycourt@justice.gov.uk — enforcement/bailiffs
contactfpl@justice.gov.uk — family public law (children in care), digital process for case numbers starting with C5
sunderland.breathingspace@justice.gov.uk — Breathing Space (debt) enquiries
sscsa-leeds@justice.gov.uk — social security and child support

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 the enforcement service. If you are unsure, do not pay anything and report the scam to Action Fraud. HMCTS scam warning (gov.uk)

Getting there & access

Sunderland County, Family, Magistrates' and Tribunal Hearings, Gillbridge Avenue, Sunderland SR1 3AP

By rail: Sunderland station (Tyne & Wear / Northern services) is the local stop; Gillbridge Avenue is a short walk from the city centre. Confirm the exact route on a map before you go, and check departures before travelling.
By bus / Metro: Sunderland has a Tyne & Wear Metro station and a busy bus station in the centre, close to the court. Use a live journey planner to confirm the route on the day.
By road: The court sits on Gillbridge Avenue in central Sunderland. There is public pay and display parking at a number of sites close to the court, but these fill early — arrive with time to spare.
Disabled access: This building has a ramp to the entrance, a lift between the ground floor and the first floor, and level access into the court and hearing rooms. Hearing loops (infra-red) are fitted in all court rooms, counters and private interview rooms. Guide dogs are welcome, and Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards are available on request.

Check live travel before you go — engineering works and delays can change things on the day. The counter is open 10am–2pm Monday to Friday and is by appointment only (with a cashless office in operation), so arrive early, and sort enquiries by phone (0330 808 4407 or 0300 123 5577) or email in advance. A hurried arrival adds stress.

What cases this court handles

According to the official HMCTS register, Sunderland County, Family, Magistrates' and Tribunal Hearings 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 cases
Bankruptcy, money claims, and High Court cases — serious or high-profile criminal or civil law cases
Benefits appeals, crime and the single justice procedure

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

Check your court documents. The notice of hearing and any correspondence tell you the court and address where you are expected.
Ask the court. Call the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 or 0330 808 4407 — 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 papers, 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 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 court 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 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 among 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 where you know the device is private.

Links you may find helpful:

A practical first visit / application checklist

Before you go, work through this list so nothing catches you by surprise:

[ ] Confirm the court name and venue on your notice of hearing — make sure your case is listed at Sunderland County, Family, Magistrates' and Tribunal Hearings (Gillbridge Avenue, SR1 3AP).
[ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the HMCTS enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 or 0330 808 4407 to confirm.
[ ] Check whether you need the C100 (child arrangements), FL401 (domestic abuse) or another form — see the official links below.
[ ] Apply for a family order online where possible — divorce and some family applications can be started via the official gov.uk routes (linked below) rather than by paper; you may be able to get help with the fee if you're on a low income or benefits.
[ ] Prepare in one page what you want the judge to know, and keep it calm and specific.
[ ] Bring photo ID, your court notices, and anything the court asked you to bring.
[ ] Note the counter is appointment-only (10am–2pm, cashless) — sort out any questions by phone (0300 123 5577 or 0330 808 4407) or email (family.sunderland.countycourt@justice.gov.uk).
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time to the venue named on your notice, and check live rail/bus/Metro status.
[ ] Arrange childcare or time off in advance so you are not rushed on the day.
[ ] Consider a McKenzie friend or ask Support Through Court for help if that would steady you.

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, Sunderland County, Family, Magistrates' and Tribunal Hearings, 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):

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.

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