McKenzie Friend Norwich — family court support directory
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-09-01
What a McKenzie Friend does in Norwich
If you are a litigant in person at the Norwich Combined Court Centre (The Law Courts, Bishopgate) or another Norfolk 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 Norwich
- Find a McKenzie Friend (mckenziefriendservice.co.uk) — operates a Norwich family court support page with free consultation, part of the McKenzie Friend UK Network: https://www.mckenziefriendservice.co.uk/towns/norwich
- McKenzie Friend UK Network (mckenziefrienduk.net) — runs a Norwich County Court support page with free consultation and named McKenzie Friends covering the Norwich Combined Family Court: https://www.mckenziefrienduk.net/courts/norwich-family-court.htm
- NCLS Family Court Support Service — a free McKenzie Friend service run by Norwich Community Law Service for children cases (but not money cases); see the overview hosted by UEA's Family Courts research group: https://www.uea.ac.uk/groups-and-centres/family-courts/mckenzie-friends
- Find a McKenzie Friend directory (findamckenziefriend.com) — searchable directory of McKenzie Friends covering Norfolk: https://www.findamckenziefriend.com
Norwich family court
Family cases in Norwich are heard at the Norwich Combined Court Centre, The Law Courts, Bishopgate, Norwich NR3 1UR. 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.