What Should You Do Before Your Next Family Court Hearing?
A court hearing can last less than an hour, but the preparation behind it can shape your child arrangements for months or even years.
That is why you should never walk in hoping you will remember everything under pressure. Stress affects memory. Questions come quickly. The judge may need a clear answer within seconds. Cafcass may raise points you did not expect. The other parent may make claims you strongly disagree with.
Good preparation does not mean producing the thickest bundle or rehearsing an angry speech. It means knowing the case, knowing the evidence, and knowing exactly what you are asking the court to do.
This article is a practical guide to preparing for your next family court hearing, organising your evidence, understanding what to ask for and getting the right support before you walk into court.
If you are a parent currently going through family court, it is important that you join PAPA Plus and make use of our courses and other resources, including PAPA AI.
If you require direct assistance with your case, you can also book a call or one of our family law workshops with PAPA as a 'Plus' member.
Start with the latest family court order.
The most important document before your next hearing is usually the latest court order.
That order tells you what the judge directed last time. It may include deadlines, documents to file, safeguarding steps, statements to exchange, Cafcass involvement, contact arrangements, or instructions for the next hearing.
Read it slowly. Then read it again with a pen in your hand.
Look for anything that tells you:
What you must file
When you must file it
Who you must send it to
Whether the other parent must do anything
Whether Cafcass must prepare a letter or report
Whether contact should happen before the next hearing
Whether allegations, drug testing, police disclosure, medical evidence, school records, or other material are expected
What issues the next hearing is meant to decide
Many parents focus on what they want to say and miss what the court has already asked them to do. That can cause real problems. If you miss a deadline, fail to send a statement, or ignore a direction, you may give the impression that you are not taking the process seriously.
Even if your reasons are understandable, it can weaken your position unnecessarily.
Create a simple checklist from the order. Put every deadline in your calendar. Work backwards from the hearing date. If a statement is due seven days before the hearing, do not plan to write it the night before it is due. Leave time to review it, remove emotional language, add evidence, and check that it answers the issues the court actually needs to deal with.
If part of the order is unclear, do not guess. Ask for help as early as possible. A small misunderstanding can become a major problem later.
Bring your chronology up to date.
A chronology is a clear timeline of important events. It helps the court understand what happened, when it happened, and why it matters.
It should not include every argument, every message, or every feeling. It should focus on events that are directly relevant to the issues before the court.
For a child arrangements case, that may include:
Missed contact
Late handovers
Breaches of an order
Allegations made by either parent
Police involvement
Cafcass contact
Social services involvement
School concerns
Medical or wellbeing issues affecting the child
Attempts to agree arrangements
Important changes in work, housing, school, or childcare
Positive contact that has taken place
Any safeguarding concerns
A good chronology is short, factual, and easy to follow. The judge should be able to scan it and quickly understand the pattern.
Avoid long paragraphs. Use dates where possible. If you do not know the exact date, use the month or say “around” the relevant time. Do not exaggerate. Do not call the other parent names. Do not use the chronology as a place to argue the whole case.
A useful format is:
Date | What happened | Why it matters |
12 March 2025 | Contact did not take place. The other parent said the child was unavailable. | This was the third missed contact session in four weeks. |
26 March 2025 | A video call took place for 20 minutes. | Shows contact can work when arrangements are followed. |
8 April 2025 | Cafcass telephone call took place. | Safeguarding concerns were discussed. |
Keep the tone neutral. The court is more likely to trust a parent who can present information calmly than a parent who turns every entry into an accusation.
That does not mean hiding serious concerns. If there has been violence, coercive control, neglect, substance misuse, emotional harm, or repeated breaches of an order, those issues need to be recorded clearly. The key is to set them out in a way the court can use.
For example, instead of writing:
“They are always manipulative and never let me see my child.”
Write:
“Contact was due on 6, 13, and 20 April. It did not take place on any of those dates. I asked to rearrange each time by message.”
The second version gives the court facts. Facts are easier to test, easier to prove, and easier to act on.
Choose evidence that proves the point.
Evidence is not stronger because there is more of it. It is stronger when it is relevant, clear, and connected to the order you are asking for.
One common mistake is turning up with hundreds of screenshots and hoping the judge will find the important ones. That rarely helps. A judge has limited time. If the key point is buried on page 74 of a messy bundle, it may not land.
Start with the issues. Ask yourself what the court needs to decide at the next hearing.
For example:
Should contact restart?
Should contact be supervised?
Has the existing order been breached?
Are the allegations denied, admitted, or partly accepted?
Is a fact-finding hearing needed?
Should Cafcass prepare a section 7 report?
Are interim arrangements needed before a final hearing?
Does the child need a more predictable routine?
Then choose evidence that helps answer those questions.
Good evidence may include messages, emails, call logs, school letters, medical letters, police references, professional reports, photographs, or notes of arrangements. The right evidence depends on the issue. A screenshot of a rude comment may feel important, but it may not help if the real question is whether handovers are safe.
When reviewing evidence, ask three questions.
Does this prove something the court needs to decide?
If not, leave it out.
Is it clear without a long explanation?
If the judge needs five minutes of background to understand one screenshot, it may not be the best example.
Can I explain where it came from?
Be ready to say when it was sent, who sent it, and why it matters.
Do not edit screenshots in a way that changes their meaning. If you crop them for readability, keep the full version available. Do not submit anything you know is misleading. If a message thread includes something unhelpful to you, think carefully before leaving it out if the missing part changes the context.
Your job is not to look perfect. Your job is to be credible.
Write a position statement that helps the judge.
A position statement is a short document that explains your current position before the hearing. It should tell the court where the case stands, what has happened since the last hearing, and what you are asking for now.
It is not usually the place for a long history of the relationship. It is not a diary. It is not a letter to the other parent.
A strong position statement is:
Structured
Factual
Child-focused
Specific about the order requested
Linked to the evidence
Calm in tone
A simple structure can work well.
Start with the current situation
Explain briefly what the case is about and what the last order said. Include only what the judge needs to know for this hearing.
For example:
“The last order provided for alternate weekend contact and one midweek video call. Since that order, three weekend contact sessions have not taken place, and the midweek calls have been inconsistent.”
Explain what has changed since the last hearing
Focus on developments since the previous order. If there have been missed contact sessions, breaches, new allegations, professional involvement, or safeguarding concerns, set them out clearly.
Keep it balanced where possible. If some contact happened successfully, say so. If there were problems, explain them. Credibility often comes from being fair with the facts.
Say what you are asking the court to do
This is where many parents become vague.
Do not only say what the other parent has done wrong. The judge needs to know what order or next step you want.
You might be asking for:
A defined interim contact schedule
Missed time to be made up
A warning notice to be attached to an order
A section 7 report from Cafcass
A fact-finding hearing
Supervised contact
Indirect contact
A change to handover arrangements
A final hearing timetable
A specific issue order
A prohibited steps order
The order you ask for must match the concerns and evidence in your case. If you raise serious safeguarding issues, be ready to explain what protective steps you say are needed. If your main concern is repeated missed contact, be ready to explain what structure would reduce conflict and support the child’s relationship with both parents.
Keep the focus on the child
The court’s central concern is the child’s welfare. That means your position statement should explain why your proposed outcome helps your child, not just why it feels fair to you.
Instead of writing:
“I deserve more time because the other parent has behaved badly.”
Write:
“The child has an established relationship with me. A clear schedule would reduce uncertainty and help the child maintain regular, predictable time with both parents.”
That type of wording is calmer and more useful. It shows the court that you are thinking about your child’s needs.
Know the outcome you want before you walk in.
A hearing is not only a chance to tell your side of the story. It is a decision-making appointment.
Before you attend, be clear on three things:
What outcome do I want?
Why is that outcome in my child’s best interests?
What evidence supports it?
If you cannot answer those questions, the hearing may drift. You may spend your time responding to allegations, correcting details, or explaining past conflict without ever making a clear request.
Write your requested outcome in plain English. Then turn it into a short list you can refer to during the hearing.
For example:
I am asking for alternate weekend staying contact to restart.
I am asking for one midweek video call every Wednesday at 6 pm.
I am asking for handovers to take place at school or another neutral location.
I am asking for Cafcass to prepare a section 7 report before the next hearing.
I am asking for the matter to be listed for a further review hearing after the report is filed.
Your own request will depend on your case. The point is that you should know it before the hearing starts.
Be realistic. If there are serious allegations that have not been tested, the court may not jump straight to a final order. If contact has stopped for a long time, it may need to restart gradually. If conflict at handover is the problem, a practical handover plan may matter more than another argument about who caused it.
The more precise you are, the easier it is for the judge to understand what you want and why.
Prepare for difficult questions.
You should prepare for the questions you want to answer, but also the ones you would rather avoid.
The judge, Cafcass, or the other parent may challenge your version of events. They may ask about your messages, your behaviour, your availability, your home, your work pattern, your past decisions, or why you did not act sooner.
That can feel uncomfortable, especially when the issues are personal. Still, staying calm under pressure can be just as important as the paperwork.
Start by identifying your weak points. Every case has them.
Maybe you sent messages you now regret. Maybe you missed contact yourself. Maybe you did not follow part of an order. Maybe you delayed making an application. Maybe the other parent has evidence that looks bad without context.
Do not pretend these issues do not exist. Prepare a clear, honest answer.
A good answer usually does three things:
Acknowledges the issue
Gives brief context where needed
Brings the focus back to the child and the next step
For example:
“I accept that message was not helpful. I was frustrated, but I should not have sent it. Since then I have kept communication brief and focused on arrangements. I am asking for a clearer handover plan so the child is not exposed to conflict.”
That answer is stronger than denial, blame, or a long explanation.
It shows self-control. It shows insight. It shows that you can focus on what happens next.
During the hearing, listen carefully. Do not interrupt unless the judge asks you to respond. Take notes. If you disagree with something, write it down and wait for your turn. When you speak, answer the question asked. Long speeches can make it harder for the court to identify your best points.
Do not prepare alone if support is available.
Family proceedings can feel isolating. You may be trying to understand court orders, organise evidence, respond to Cafcass, write statements, manage emotion, and protect your relationship with your child all at the same time.
If you do not have to prepare alone, do not.
PAPA Plus can help parents prepare more effectively before hearings. Members can book one-to-one case calls, access ongoing case management, get support with statements and position statements, complete court and Cafcass courses, use PAPA AI, and access practical resources designed for real cases.
That support can help you:
Understand what the latest order requires
Identify the key issues for the next hearing
Build a clear chronology
Sort useful evidence from background noise
Prepare a focused position statement
Think through the outcome you are asking for
Practise calm answers to difficult questions
The night before court is too late to start pulling everything together. Give yourself enough time to prepare properly.
The hearing may be short. The impact may not be.
Join PAPA Plus, book a case review call, and go into court knowing your case, your evidence, and exactly what you are asking for.
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