Litigant in Person in Family Court UK — How to Represent Yourself

Solicitor quotes of £150 to £400 per hour add up fast. Retainer fees of £2,000 to £5,000 before the first hearing has even been listed. For many parents in England, representing themselves in family court isn't a choice — it's the only financially viable option.

Court statistics show that in a significant proportion of private family law cases, one or both parties are litigants in person (LiPs). The system is designed to function with self-represented parents, but it doesn't lower its standards for them. Here's what you actually need to know and prepare.

What a Litigant in Person Can and Cannot Do

As a LiP, you have the right to:

• File applications and respond to them
• Present your case at hearings
• Call witnesses and cross-examine (with some restrictions in domestic abuse cases)
• Submit evidence and make legal arguments

What you cannot do:

• Act as a "McKenzie Friend" with rights of audience (a McKenzie Friend can sit with you and take notes, but cannot speak to the judge on your behalf unless the court grants specific permission)
• Expect the judge to act as your lawyer. The judge may explain procedure and ensure you understand the process, but they won't advise you on strategy or tell you what arguments to make

The judge has a duty to ensure fairness, which includes making reasonable adjustments for self-represented parties — explaining procedural steps, allowing additional time for preparation, and ensuring you understand what's being asked of you. But the burden of preparing your case, organising your evidence, and presenting your arguments remains yours.

The Court Bundle: Your Most Important Document

Practice Direction 27A sets out the requirements for court bundles — the organised collection of documents that both parties and the judge rely on during hearings. For private family law proceedings (child arrangements), the bundle should include:

1. An index/contents page listing every document with page numbers
2. The application and any response (C100, C1A if applicable)
3. Previous court orders relevant to the case
4. Cafcass reports — the safeguarding letter and/or Child Impact Report
5. Statements and position statements from both parties
6. Correspondence relevant to the dispute
7. Supporting evidence — school records, medical reports, relevant communications

Bundle formatting requirements:

• A4 pages, double-sided unless the court has specified otherwise
• Paginated continuously throughout (page 1 through the final page, not restarting per section)
• Indexed and tabbed for easy navigation
• No duplicates — include each document once
• Filed by the required deadline — normally five working days before the hearing under Practice Direction 27A, unless the court's directions order sets a different timetable

The bundle is critical because the judge reads it before the hearing. If your key evidence is buried, missing, or badly organised, the judge may not find it. If it's not in the bundle, it functionally doesn't exist for the purposes of the hearing.

Many courts now accept electronic bundles in PDF format, paginated and bookmarked. Check your court's local protocol — some still require physical copies.

Position Statements

Before each hearing, you'll typically be asked (or directed by the court) to file a position statement. This is a short document — usually one to three pages — setting out:

• What you're asking the court to do
• The key facts supporting your position
• Your response to any issues raised by the other party or by Cafcass
• Any proposals you're making for the children's arrangements

Keep it factual and focused on the children. Judges read dozens of these; the ones that work best are concise, specific, and framed around the welfare checklist rather than a catalogue of the other parent's failings.

Scott Schedules: When Allegations Are in Dispute

If allegations of domestic abuse, harmful behaviour, or safeguarding concerns have been raised (typically through Form C1A), the court may direct both parties to complete a Scott Schedule. This is a structured table where:

• Column 1: The alleging parent sets out each specific allegation — the date, the conduct, the supporting evidence, and the impact on the child or parent
• Column 2: The responding parent provides their specific response to each allegation — admitted, denied, or partially admitted with their account of events

Scott Schedules serve two purposes: they force vague allegations into specific, testable claims, and they help the judge decide whether a Fact-Finding Hearing is necessary.

Tips for completing a Scott Schedule:

• Be precise about dates. "He was verbally abusive throughout 2024" is too vague. "On 14 March 2024, at approximately 7pm, he shouted at me in front of the children in the kitchen" is specific enough for the court to evaluate
• Reference evidence. If there's a police report, a GP record, or a text message that supports the allegation, cite it and include it in the bundle
• Keep responses equally specific. If denying an allegation, provide your account of what actually happened on that date — don't just write "denied"

Hearing Preparation Checklist

For each hearing, prepare:

• [ ] Updated court bundle filed by the deadline
• [ ] Position statement filed by the deadline
• [ ] Copies of any new evidence not already in the bundle
• [ ] A chronology — a simple timeline of key events, especially if the case has a complex history
• [ ] Notes on what you want to say, organised by topic (don't script word-for-word — the judge will ask questions and you need to respond naturally)
• [ ] Questions for any witnesses (if applicable)
• [ ] Practical items: pen, notepad, copies of everything for yourself, identification

Arrive early. Introduce yourself to the court usher. Ask about any local support service if the other party has a solicitor and you don't, but availability varies and this is limited to practical or brief procedural help, not full representation.

Where to Get Help Without Full Representation

• Direct Access barristers: You can instruct a barrister directly (without a solicitor) for specific hearings. This is cheaper than ongoing solicitor representation — typically £750 to £5,000+ per hearing day — and gives you professional advocacy for the most critical moments
• Unbundled legal services: Some solicitors offer fixed-fee services for specific tasks — reviewing your bundle, drafting your position statement, or advising on strategy for a single hearing — without taking on your whole case
• Personal Support Unit (PSU): A charity that provides in-court support at many family courts. Volunteers help with practical tasks — finding the right courtroom, understanding procedures, emotional support — though they can't give legal advice
• Citizens Advice and Law Centres: Free initial advice on procedure and rights, though availability varies by area

For a structured framework covering the full family court process — from drafting your C100 application through to preparing court bundles and building welfare-checklist-aligned proposals — the England Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide walks through each stage for self-represented parents.

See more England guides →