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You’ll need to file an application if you want to ask the Family Court to make a decision for you. Usually, the information sheet will be part of the application form. If you file an application with the court, you are called the ‘applicant’. The other person(s) named in your application are called the ‘respondent(s)’.
The type of application you need depends on what you’re asking the court to do. If you’re not sure what application to fill in contact a lawyer or the Ministry of Justice on 0800 224 733 for help.
Care of children form generator
Your application needs to include key information, so the court understands your situation. This includes:
Applications can be hard to fill in on your own. There’s support available to help you fill in an application.
If everyone agrees during the court process, you can file a consent memorandum with the court. This will say that you all agree on an order being made and you agree on any terms and conditions listed in the order. A lawyer will usually draft this for you. If there are no lawyers involved in your case, you and the other parties can complete this form together.
The information sheet is where you write down the personal details for everyone involved in the case. This includes each person’s full name, date of birth, and address for service. If you’re filing more than one application, you only need to provide one information sheet.
An address for service:
Sometimes, you can ask for your details to be confidential.
If you don’t want your address to be known to the other people involved in the case, you will need to submit a Request for Confidentiality form at the same time as your application form and information sheet.
Family Court staff will store your address information separately to protect your details from being sent to the other people involved.
Download and fill in an information sheet [DOCX, 23 KB]
Download and fill in a confidential address form [PDF, 155 KB]
It’s important to let the Family Court know if your contact details change. If the court doesn’t have your up-to-date contact details, you may miss out on important information to do with your case.
To update your contact details, call the Family Court on 0800 268 787(external link).
Going to Family Court can be hard. It's normal to feel overwhelmed. There are services available to help and support through this time.
Visit our help page