McKenzie Friend Durham — family court support directory

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-09-01

What a McKenzie Friend does in Durham

If you are a litigant in person at Durham County Court and Family Court (Durham Justice Centre, Green Lane, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3RG) or another County Durham court, a McKenzie Friend can sit with you at hearings, take notes, help with case papers, and quietly give advice. They cannot conduct litigation or act as your advocate without the court's permission, and McKenzie Friends are not regulated legal professionals. The judiciary's Practice Guidance on McKenzie Friends sets out their role.

Verified services covering Durham

McKenzie Friend UK Network (mckenziefriendservice.co.uk) — operates a Durham family court support page with a free consultation request form covering child arrangements, financial settlements and injunctions: https://www.mckenziefriendservice.co.uk/towns/durham
Family Law Decisions (familylawdecisions.co.uk) — fixed-fee McKenzie Friend support across England and Wales, including Durham, covering applications, witness statements, position statements and court hearing support: https://www.familylawdecisions.co.uk/mckenzie-friend
Find a McKenzie Friend directory (findamckenziefriend.com) — searchable directory of McKenzie Friends covering County Durham: https://www.findamckenziefriend.com

Durham family court

Family cases in Durham are heard at Durham County Court and Family Court. Confirm the venue and contact details on the official GOV.UK court finder: https://www.gov.uk/find-court-tribunal

Free alternatives

Support Through Court — free trained volunteers who support litigants in person (no legal advice): https://supportthroughcourt.org
Check legal aid eligibility: https://www.gov.uk/check-legal-aid

Things to check before paying anyone

Ask for written fees, experience, DBS status, and a short CV (judges can require this before allowing assistance).
McKenzie Friends are unregulated — no required qualifications, training, or insurance. Verify everything yourself before engaging.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Services are listed from their own public websites and directories; always verify directly before engaging anyone. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent directory; we take no referral fees.

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.