Weston-super-Mare County and Family Court — self-representation guide

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27

If you are representing yourself in a family matter in the Weston-super-Mare area, 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: the Weston-super-Mare County and Family Court itself is no longer in service — HMCTS records that its business has been transferred to other neighbouring courts. There is no active family court in Weston-super-Mare itself; you will not be expected to attend a hearing there. Family cases for the Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset area (including child arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse and adoption applications) are now dealt with at neighbouring centres. The main family venue for this part of the South West is Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre, which is where this guide focuses. Depending on your case, your hearing may instead be listed at another neighbouring court (for example Taunton Crown, County and Family Court). Always go by the court named on your notice of hearing.

The essentials (successor venue for family matters — Bristol)

Court for family matters (official): Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre, 2 Redcliff Street, Bristol, BS1 6GR
Phone (HMCTS National Contact Centre — civil & family, paper process including C100): 0300 123 5577 (Mon–Fri, 8.30am–5pm)
Phone (Bristol court enquiries / general): 0117 366 4830
Phone (Bristol disability help coming to a hearing): 0117 366 4830
Phone (Divorce Contact Centre): 0300 303 0642 (Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm)
Phone (Family public law — children in care, digital cases starting C5): 0330 808 4424
Phone (Support Through Court for litigants in person): 0300 081 0006
Email (family applications, including C100): family.bristol.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Email (financial remedy): bristolfrc.bristol.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Email (Court of Protection): courtofprotection.bristol.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Email (family public law — children in care, cases starting C5): contactfpl@justice.gov.uk
Family Court location code: 151 · DX: 95903 Bristol 3 / 95905 Bristol 3
Court type: Standalone Civil and Family Justice Centre (family jurisdiction alongside civil, High Court and other work)
Counter / building opening times (official): court open 8.30am–4pm (9am–4pm Thursday); counter open 9.30am–2pm
verifiedAt: 2026-08-27 (checked against the official HMCTS page)

A word on the change: If your papers still say "Weston-super-Mare County and Family Court", do not worry — the business moved rather than vanished; just follow where your notice of hearing sends you. This is common and nothing to be concerned about.

Contact and enquiries (official HMCTS details)

These are the contact routes listed on the official HMCTS "Find a court or tribunal" page for Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre, with the family-relevant lines pulled out.

Telephone

National Contact Centre for Civil & Family Court (Mon–Fri, 8.30am–5pm): 0300 123 5577 — the main route for paper-based family applications, including C100, and general family enquiries.
Bristol court enquiries (including disability help): 0117 366 4830
Divorce Contact Centre: 0300 303 0642 (Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm)
Family public law — children in care (digital cases starting C5): 0330 808 4424
Support Through Court (independent charity for litigants in person): 0300 081 0006
If you have a disability and need help coming to a hearing, please contact the court in advance on 0117 366 4830.

Email (@justice.gov.uk)

Family applications (including C100): family.bristol.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Financial remedy: bristolfrc.bristol.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Court of Protection: courtofprotection.bristol.countycourt@justice.gov.uk
Family public law — children in care (digital cases starting C5): contactfpl@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)

Getting there & access

Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre sits at 2 Redcliff Street, Bristol, BS1 6GR, in central Bristol near the Harbourside, roughly 10–15 minutes' walk from Bristol Temple Meads railway station. Arriving early is a good idea; attendance at court moves quickly.

By train

Bristol Temple Meads is the main railway station, with frequent services from Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Cardiff, London and across the South West. See National Rail Enquiries for live departures.
From Temple Meads the court is roughly a 10–15 minute walk (or a short bus/taxi ride); check the route on a map before you travel.

By car

There is pay-and-display parking in Redcliff Street itself. NCP public parking is also available at Redcliffe Parade, BS1 6SW and the Mall (Galleries) Shopping Centre, BS1 3XD. Check parking carefully before you travel.

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 Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre:

Disabled access: the court has disabled access and lift facilities; if you need help coming to a hearing, contact the court in advance on 0117 366 4830.
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network: lanyards available on request.
Assistance dogs: welcome.
Hearing Loop: portable hearing enhancement system available by prior arrangement — contact the court.
Refreshments: hot and cold vending facilities on the 1st floor District Judges reception area.
Interview rooms: available on all hearing floors.
Children's waiting room: available.
Baby changing facility: available.
Prayer / Quiet room: a quiet contemplation room is available.
Video facilities: court/hearing-room video conferencing and prison-to-court video link available by prior arrangement.
Wireless network: free Wi-Fi available (GovWifi).
Witness service: available.

What court handles your matter

Family matters for the Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset area — the work that formerly sat with Weston-super-Mare County and Family Court — are now heard at neighbouring centres, most often Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre. On the official HMCTS page, the family-relevant work this location handles includes:

Childcare arrangements if you separate from your partner (child arrangements / C100)
Divorce hearings
Domestic abuse matters (FL401 / non-molestation and occupation orders)
Adoption
Financial remedy
Family public law — children in care (C110A / care and supervision orders)
Forced marriage
The centre also handles a range of civil, High Court and other business (housing, money claims, bankruptcy, benefits, employment)

Not every family case will be heard at Bristol. 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 HMCTS National Contact Centre on 0300 123 5577 and court staff will 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 (0300 081 0006 / supportthroughcourt.org). 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 handled at the court that covers your area. 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, 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:

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 — the Weston-super-Mare court is no longer in service, so your hearing will be at a neighbouring venue (most often Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre, 2 Redcliff Street, Bristol, BS1 6GR, but go by exactly what your papers say).
[ ] If unsure it is the right court, call the HMCTS National Contact Centre on 0300 123 5577 about your case, referencing your case number.
[ ] If you have a disability and need help attending, contact the court in advance on 0117 366 4830.
[ ] Plan your journey and arrival time — check live train/bus status before you travel (Bristol Temple Meads is ~10–15 min walk away; parking nearby in Redcliff Street / Redcliffe Parade / the Galleries).
[ ] 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 and reachable 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, Weston-super-Mare County and Family Court, Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre, 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.