McKenzie Friend Hastings — family court support directory
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-09-01
What a McKenzie Friend does in Hastings
If you are a litigant in person at Hastings County Court and Family Court or another East Sussex 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 Hastings
- Find a McKenzie Friend (mckenziefriendservice.co.uk) — operates a Hastings family court support page (McKenzie Friend UK Network Ltd) covering support at all family court hearings, position statements, court bundles, child arrangements, financial settlements and more: https://www.mckenziefriendservice.co.uk/hastings
- Find a McKenzie Friend directory (findamckenziefriend.com) — Hastings listing pages with individual McKenzie Friend profiles covering family and child law, divorce, child custody and financial settlements: https://www.findamckenziefriend.com/united-kingdom/hastings
Hastings family court
Family cases in Hastings are heard at Hastings County Court and Family Court. Confirm the venue and contact details on the official GOV.UK court finder: https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/hastings-county-court-and-family-court
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.