Warwick Combined Court — family court self-representation guide

Essentials

Address

Warwickshire Justice Centre, Newbold Terrace, Warwickshire CV32 4EL

Telephone

0300 123 5577

Verified

2026-08-27

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27

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 Warwick Combined 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: Warwick Combined Court, Warwickshire Justice Centre, Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa, CV32 4EL (this is the official family venue serving Warwick — it houses the Family Court, County Court, Crown Court and Magistrates' Court; note the building is physically in Royal Leamington Spa, a few miles from Warwick town centre)
Phone (HMCTS civil & family enquiries, official): 0300 123 5577 (National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court — Monday to Friday 8:30am–5pm)
Divorce enquiries (official): 0300 303 0642 (Divorce Contact Centre — Monday to Friday 10am–6pm)
County court counter (official): Monday to Friday 10am–2pm
Court type: Family Court, County Court, Crown Court and Magistrates' Court (family work includes adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse, financial remedy)
Court codes (professional use): County Court location code 361; Crown Court 463; Magistrates' Court 2905; DX 701964 Leamington Spa 7
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 this venue.

Telephone

Court enquiries (civil & family): 0300 123 5577 (Mon–Fri, 8:30am–5pm)
Divorce enquiries: 0300 303 0642 (Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm)
Magistrates'/Crown court enquiries: 0300 123 5577 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm)
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact 0300 123 5577.

Email

Use the HMCTS civil and family enquiries form (gov.uk) for written enquiries, or ask the court for the correct team inbox on 0300 123 5577. Confirm the right address for your specific case type directly with the court rather than guessing.

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

Warwick Combined Court is at the Warwickshire Justice Centre, Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa, CV32 4EL — about a 10-minute walk from Leamington Spa railway station and a short (roughly 3-mile) drive or bus ride from Warwick town centre.

By rail: Leamington Spa station is the nearest; it's a ~10-minute walk to the court. Warwick and Warwick Parkway stations are nearby on the Chiltern/Birmingham routes — check which is more convenient on the day.
By bus: Local Warwickshire bus services stop near the Justice Centre — check live routes on the day.
By car / parking: There is no court car park — paid offsite parking is available in the surrounding streets and multi-storeys of Leamington Spa town centre. Allow extra time.

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. Arrive at least 30 minutes before your hearing for the security search.

Facilities and accessibility (official HMCTS details)

Per the official HMCTS page for this court:

Security: a security arch is in place — all users and their possessions are searched on entry. Please alert the security officer if you have a pacemaker.
Disabled access: disabled toilets are available on all floors.
Assistance dogs: welcome.
Hearing loop: a portable hearing enhancement system is available by prior arrangement — contact the court by telephone or email in advance.
Video facilities: video conferencing and prison-to-court video link are available by prior arrangement.
Baby changing facilities: available on all floors.
Refreshments: vending machines (separate facilities for jurors).
Quiet / prayer room: available on the second floor.
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, contact 0300 123 5577.

What cases this court handles

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

Crime (Magistrates' and Crown)
Bankruptcy
Divorce hearings
Domestic abuse (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
Housing
Money claims

Family Court work (such as adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce and financial remedy) is also heard here. Not every family case in the area is heard at this venue, so:

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 civil & family 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:

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 Warwick Combined Court (Warwickshire Justice Centre, Newbold Terrace, Leamington Spa CV32 4EL).
[ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the HMCTS civil & family enquiries line on 0300 123 5577 to confirm.
[ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact 0300 123 5577 in advance.
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — note there is no court car park; allow for the offsite town-centre parking and time for the security search.
[ ] 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.

YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory — we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to HMCTS, Warwick Combined 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):

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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