Family court & support in Crawley
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29
Which court serves you
Crawley has no family court of its own. Crawley Magistrates' Court (The Law Courts, Woodfield Road, Crawley RH10 8BF) handles criminal matters only — crime and single justice procedure — per gov.uk's Find a Court or Tribunal (https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/crawley-magistrates-court).
Family cases involving Crawley families are dealt with at Brighton County Court, William Street, Brighton BN2 0RF (the building historically known as the Brighton County Court and Family Court), which handles adoption, childcare arrangements (C100), divorce and domestic-abuse (FL401) matters — see our Brighton County Court guide. Enquiries: 0300 123 5577 (HMCTS National Contact Centre for Civil & Family, Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm); divorce: 0300 303 0642; family public law (children in care): 0330 808 4424. Family enquiries: sussexfamily@justice.gov.uk. Always check your hearing notice — some cases are listed elsewhere; confirm the venue at https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk.
Citizens Advice
- Citizens Advice Crawley (part of Citizens Advice in West Sussex) — The Orchard, 1–2 Gleneagles Court, Brighton Road, Southgate, Crawley RH10 6AD; phone 0808 278 7969; details at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/local-citizens-advice/0014K000009EMLtQAO and https://www.advicewestsussex.org.uk/centre/crawley
- National Adviceline: 0808 144 8848 (free); webchat at citizensadvice.org.uk
- Citizens Advice Crawley can help with benefits, debt and housing issues that often sit alongside a family case (it also runs debt casework and the Crawley Connects project)
Mediation & your MIAM
Before most family applications you must consider a MIAM (mediation information and assessment meeting). Search the FMC register for accredited mediators covering Crawley and West Sussex: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/find-local-mediator/ — see our mediation guide for costs (the £500 voucher scheme, ~£120 MIAM, and legal aid eligibility).
Domestic abuse support
- Refuge National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (24/7, free) · emergency 999 · non-urgent police 101
- On a shared phone or tablet? Use a safe device — public library, Citizens Advice office, or a trusted friend's phone — to look up local services
- See our domestic abuse support in the south coast region for refuges and specialist Sussex services, and our FL401 injunctions guide
Children's services
West Sussex County Council is the children's services authority for Crawley (including referrals about a child's safety) — routes to your local authority via https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse (postcode lookup), or contact West Sussex County Council at https://www.westsussex.gov.uk. See our children's services guide.
Getting there
Brighton County Court is on William Street (BN2 0RF), east of Brighton city centre near the seafront — a walk or short bus ride from Brighton station (direct Southern/Thameslink trains from Crawley and Three Bridges, roughly 30 minutes; Gatwick Express also calls from Gatwick Airport). Crawley Magistrates' Court (Woodfield Road, RH10 8BF) sits near Crawley town centre if your matter is a criminal one, with blue-badge parking on Woodfield Road. Allow extra time for security screening on arrival.
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS, gov.uk or Citizens Advice.
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.