Who is this book for?

This book is primarily written for people who are going through a court case in the Family Court but who don’t have a lawyer (“litigants in person”).

But it is also useful for :

• People who think they might need to go to the Family Court but who need more information first, including about whether or not they need a lawyer and whether they might be able to get legal aid,
• People who can afford a little bit of legal advice from time to time but are doing most of the work themselves,
• People who have a family lawyer but who would like a bit more of an overview of how the system works, of how their case fits into it and of why various things are happening,
• People trying to help support a partner, family member or friend through a separation or family court case,
• McKenzie friends (a McKenzie friend is a person who the court has said can attend hearings with a litigant in person for moral support or for note taking),

Other people who have told us they have found the book useful are :

• Trainee lawyers or law students interested in family law,
• Judges - as a tool to guide litigants in person,
• Lawyers involved in cases where there is a litigant in person who wish to try and ensure the process runs smoothly – or who wish to reassure and inform an anxious client,
• Other professionals who come into contact with the Family Court system from time to time who would like to understand it a little better, such as teachers or expert witnesses.