Preparing for Your First Hearing at Family Court

If you and your partner have taken your child arrangement application to family court, you will have to go for a hearing before a legal advisor or judge. This is called a ‘First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment’ - which can seem scary if you’re not sure of what the process is. We take you through what to expect at your first hearing and how to prepare for it.
The purpose of the first hearing is for the judge and the Cafcass officer to help you and your partner identify what you cannot agree about and how to resolve it. These can be quite informal and do not always have to take place in a courtroom setting. You won’t be expected to give detailed evidence at this stage.
Many parents can come to a child arrangement agreement at this stage with, but if you can’t decide, your application will go onto the next hearing.
In this video, you’ll be given a who’s who of the people you can expect to see in the hearing room for your first hearing, from the judge - whose role it is to act in the child’s best interest - to the Cafcass officer - who advises the family court on what is in the best interest of each individual child. You will also learn about how you and your lawyer, if you have one, will work together on the day.
There is lots of information in this video that sounds basic, but can be easily forgotten:
Cases can run on long or start late so ensure you have childcare arranged for your children
There may be some waiting around involved and it’s advised you bring snacks and water with you
You need to tell the usher if you’re leaving court at any point - even if you’re just going to the toilet for a few minutes
You can take someone with you to provide company while you wait for the hearing, but you will need permission from the judge to bring them into the hearing with you
Your case will be listed by the case number rather than by your name so make sure you take your paperwork with you
Hopefully this video leaves you feeling confident about what to expect at your first hearing.
All forms and leaflets mentioned in this video can be found at justice.gov.uk using the FormFinder tool or from a family/county court office. For more resources, visit: Making child arrangements if you divorce or separate: After you apply for a court order - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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