Family court & support in St Albans
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29
Which court serves you
Family cases for St Albans and much of mid-Hertfordshire are heard at St Albans County Court and Family Court, The Court Building, Bricket Road, St Albans AL1 3JW — confirmed on gov.uk's Find a Court or Tribunal (https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/st-albans-county-court). It handles child arrangements, divorce, domestic abuse (including non-molestation orders and DAPOs), adoption and related hearings. Some Hertfordshire listings — especially divorce and complex cases — are allocated to Watford County Court and Family Court, 10 King Street, Watford WD18 0BW, instead. HMCTS National Contact Centre 0300 123 5577 (civil & family), Divorce Contact Centre 0300 303 0642 (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm), family public law 0330 808 4424. Always attend the court named on your notice of hearing. See our Watford court guide.
Citizens Advice
- Citizens Advice St Albans District — see castad.org.uk for drop-in times
- Freephone Adviceline: 0808 278 7898 (Mon–Sat 9am–5pm)
- National Adviceline: 0800 144 8848 — see our Citizens Advice national page
Mediation & your MIAM
Before most applications you must consider a MIAM. Search the FMC register for mediators covering St Albans and Hertfordshire: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/find-local-mediator/ See our Home Counties mediation page and 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
- Hertfordshire-area services — see our Home Counties DA support page
- On a shared phone? Use safe devices (library, Citizens Advice office, friend's phone).
Children's services
Hertfordshire County Council children's services — find contact routes via https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse (postcode lookup). See our children's services South & East page. Cafcass covers St Albans in its East of England region — see our Cafcass East of England page.
Getting there
The court sits on Bricket Road (AL1 3JW), about 10 minutes' walk uphill from St Albans City station (Thameslink to London St Pancras) and a shorter walk from St Albans Abbey or the city centre bus stops on St Peter's Street; on-street parking nearby is limited. The building has hearing enhancement facilities (book ahead), interview rooms, assistance-dog access and Sunflower lanyards on request. Arrive well before your listed time — security takes longer than most people expect on a first visit.
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.