Family court & support in Chichester
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29
Which court serves you
Chichester no longer has an open court building for family cases. Gov.uk's "Find a court or tribunal" service lists the Chichester Combined Court Centre as no longer in service – business transferred to neighbouring courts (verified 2026-08-29). Family cases for West Sussex are handled through the Sussex family court team at Brighton County Court and Family Court, William Street, Brighton BN2 0RF, which deals with adoption, childcare arrangements, divorce hearings and domestic abuse cases. Family enquiries go to sussexfamily@justice.gov.uk.
- HMCTS National Contact Centre: 0300 123 5577 (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm) · Divorce Centre 0300 303 0642
- Enforcement/family enquiries: sussexfamily@justice.gov.uk — always attend the court named on your notice of hearing.
Citizens Advice
- National Adviceline: 0800 144 8848 (free; phone Mon–Fri, see local hours)
- Citizens Advice West Sussex covers Chichester — contact via the national site (citizensadvice.org.uk) or local bureaux; drop-in capacity is limited, contact first to book.
Mediation & your MIAM
Search the FMC register for mediators covering Chichester and West Sussex: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/find-local-mediator/ — see our mediation guide for costs (£500 voucher, ~£120 MIAM, legal aid).
Domestic abuse support
- Refuge National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (24/7) · emergency 999
- West Sussex–area services via the Women's Aid directory: womensaid.org.uk — see our FL401 guide for emergency protective orders.
Children's services
West Sussex County Council children's services — contact routes via https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse. Cafcass involvement is coordinated through the family court serving your case — see our Cafcass guide.
Getting to your hearing
Hearings are listed at Brighton County Court and Family Court on William Street (BN2 0RF), about 10 minutes' walk from Brighton railway station and the town-centre bus stops. Your notice of hearing will name the court and room — check remote-hearing options if travelling is difficult — see our remote hearings guide.
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or 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.