Family Court Wiki

The Family Court is the single national court of England and Wales for family proceedings. The Family Court was created by section 17(3) of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, which inserted section 31A into the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984: “There is to be a court in England and Wales, called the family court”, a court of record with a seal, exercising the family jurisdiction conferred by Act of Parliament and by Measure of the National Assembly for Wales.[1] The Family Court opened on 22 April 2014, replacing the family jurisdiction of magistrates’ courts and county courts, and sits with judges from lay magistrates to High Court judges, administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

Family Court Wiki is a reference encyclopaedia of the Family Court of England and Wales, published by Family Legal Ltd. Family Court Wiki’s articles describe the court’s structure, the applications it hears, the forms that start them, how hearings run, the role of Cafcass and HMCTS, fees, enforcement, appeals and the rules on non-court dispute resolution, each written from primary sources with numbered references. About this site and editorial policy.

Start here

The six questions most often asked about the Family Court in England and Wales, each answered in full on the page that owns the subject:

  1. What is the Family Court?
  2. What is Form C100?
  3. What happens at an FHDRA?
  4. What does Cafcass do?
  5. What is a section 7 report?
  6. What is a fact-finding hearing?

Articles

The institution

  • The Family Court The Family Court is the single national court for family cases in England and Wales, created in 2014. Its judges, how cases are allocated, its business, procedure, transparency, appeals, fees and statistics, with sources.
  • HM Courts and Tribunals Service HMCTS is the Ministry of Justice agency that administers the Family Court in England and Wales. Its legal basis, governance, online divorce and C100 services, fees, reform programme and statistics, with sources.
  • Cafcass Cafcass represents children’s interests in family proceedings in England. Its legal basis, functions, safeguarding letters, section 7 reports, children’s guardians, Cafcass Cymru, Ofsted rating and statistics, with sources.
  • Transparency in the Family Court Family hearings in England and Wales are private, but since January 2025 journalists and legal bloggers can report them under a transparency order. The law, the pilot, anonymity rules and the debate, with sources.

Children applications

  • Form C100 Form C100 is the application for a child arrangements, prohibited steps or specific issue order in England and Wales. Who can apply, the MIAM rule, the £270 fee, C1A, Cafcass and the FHDRA, with sources.
  • First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA) The First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA) is the first hearing after a C100 application in England and Wales. Timing, who attends, what happens on the day and possible outcomes, with sources.
  • Section 7 report A section 7 report is a Cafcass welfare report ordered under the Children Act 1989 in England and Wales. Who writes it, when it is ordered, how it is prepared, what it contains and how to respond, with sources.
  • Dispute Resolution Appointment (DRA) A Dispute Resolution Appointment (DRA) is the family court hearing that follows a Cafcass section 7 report in England and Wales. When it is listed, what happens on the day and the possible outcomes, with sources.
  • Fact-finding hearing A fact-finding hearing decides disputed allegations, usually of domestic abuse, in children cases in England and Wales. When one is held under PD12J, the standard of proof, cross-examination rules and outcomes, with sources.
  • Final hearing What happens at a final hearing in the family court in England and Wales: preparation, who attends, giving evidence, how the judge decides under the Children Act 1989, the orders available, costs and appeals, with sources.
  • Enforcing a child arrangements order What if a child arrangements order is broken? Form C79, the £270 fee, warning notices, the court’s approach, unpaid work of 40 to 200 hours, compensation, variation, committal and Cafcass, with sources.

Money applications

  • Financial remedy proceedings How contested finances go through the Family Court in England and Wales: Form A, the MIAM, the Financial Remedies Court, First Appointment, FDR, final hearing, FPR 28.3 costs, the £321 fee and 2026 statistics, with sources.

Protection

  • Form FL401 Form FL401 is the application for a non-molestation or occupation order in England and Wales. Who can apply, no court fee, without notice orders, the hearing, breach as a criminal offence, legal aid and 2026 statistics, with sources.

Documents and evidence

  • Position statement A position statement tells the family court what you ask it to do. The PD27A rules from 2 March 2026: three-page limit, contents, the 11am deadline and how it differs from a witness statement.
  • Court bundle A court bundle is the indexed set of documents for a family hearing. PD27A from 2 March 2026: who prepares it, contents, the 350-page limit, e-bundle format, deadlines and sanctions, with sources.
  • Form FM5 Form FM5 tells the Family Court whether you have tried mediation or other non-court dispute resolution. Who must file it, the 7-day rule, what it asks and what happens next, with sources.

Rules

  • Non-court dispute resolution and FPR Part 3 How the Family Court applies FPR Part 3: the definition of non-court dispute resolution, the MIAM requirement, the court’s duty at every stage, Form FM5, adjournment powers, costs and case law.
  • Appeals in family cases Appealing a family court decision in England and Wales: permission, the 21-day time limit, which judge hears the appeal, the test of wrong or unjust, Re B [2013] UKSC 33, second appeals and fees, with sources.

Practicalities

  • Litigant in person A litigant in person represents themselves in court. The right to do so, the 49 per cent statistic, LASPO, rights and duties, the Bench Book, McKenzie Friends, free help and legal aid, with sources.
  • Family court fees Family court fees in England and Wales from July 2026: divorce £628, Children Act applications £270, financial orders £321 or £62 by consent, no fee for FL401. Help with Fees thresholds and legal aid, with sources.

Recently reviewed

Family Court Wiki is one of six reference sites published by Family Legal Ltd, each owning a different subject. The mediation that the court expects parties to consider first is covered on Family Mediation Wiki; the substantive law the court applies on Family Law Wiki; divorce and financial remedies on Divorce Law Wiki; and the practical side of separating on Separation Wiki. Mediate UK Wiki is an encyclopaedic article on Mediate UK, a mediation provider that belongs to the publisher.

References

  1. Crime and Courts Act 2013, section 17: civil and family proceedings in England and Wales. legislation.gov.uk. Accessed 5 September 2026.

This article is part of Family Court Wiki, published by Family Legal Ltd. It is general information about the law of England and Wales, not legal advice. Last reviewed 6 September 2026. About this site and editorial policy · Report an error.