How to Read a Family Court Cause List
A guide to reading Family Court cause lists in England & Wales. Understand private law vs public law hearings, what hearing types mean, reporting restrictions, and how to find your case.
Family Court cause lists work differently from criminal court listings. Cases typically involve sensitive family matters — child arrangements, divorce and financial remedies, domestic abuse orders, adoption, and care proceedings. Because of this sensitivity, many hearings are held in private and strict reporting restrictions apply.
This guide explains how Family Court cause lists are structured, what the common hearing types mean, and what you need to know about attending or reporting on Family Court proceedings.
Key Differences from Criminal Courts
- Parties are 'applicants' and 'respondents' rather than 'prosecution' and 'defendant'
- Most hearings are held in private — the public cannot attend unless the court permits it
- Case names are anonymised (e.g. 'Re Minor' or 'A v B') to protect children and families
- Automatic reporting restrictions protect the identity of children in all family proceedings
- There are no juries — a judge or magistrate decides the case
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Get AlertsPrivate Law vs Public Law
Family Court cases fall into two broad categories, and the cause list will usually indicate which type a case is.
Private law cases are disputes between individuals — most commonly about child arrangements (where a child lives and spends time), divorce, and financial settlements. These are brought by one family member against another.
Public law cases involve the state — usually the local authority — taking action to protect a child. These include care proceedings, emergency protection orders, and supervision orders. Public law cases are brought by the local authority or, in some cases, by the NSPCC.
Common Family Court Hearing Types
| Hearing Type | Category | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| FHDRA (First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment) | Private law | The first hearing in a child arrangements case. The court tries to help parents reach an agreement. A Cafcass officer will have prepared a safeguarding report. |
| DRA (Dispute Resolution Appointment) | Private law | Follow-up hearing focused on resolving the dispute without a full trial. The judge actively helps negotiate. |
| Final Hearing | Both | Full hearing where the judge hears evidence and makes a final decision. May last several days in complex cases. |
| Case Management Hearing | Both | Administrative hearing to set directions, timetable the case, and manage disclosure of evidence. |
| ICO / IRH (Issues Resolution Hearing) | Public law | Hearing to narrow the issues in care proceedings and see if agreement can be reached before a final hearing. |
| FDA / FDR (Financial Dispute Resolution) | Private law | Hearing in financial remedy proceedings (ancillary to divorce) where the judge helps negotiate a financial settlement. |
| Non-Molestation / Occupation Order | Private law | Application for a protective order in domestic abuse cases. Can be heard urgently, sometimes without notice to the respondent. |
| Adoption | Public law | Final hearing to make an adoption order. These are among the most restricted hearings. |
Monitor Family Court listings
Solicitors use CauseAlert to track listing changes across all 60 Family Courts. Get notified when hearing times, dates, or courtrooms change.
Start free — 2 alerts includedCourt of Protection
The Court of Protection (CoP) is a specialist court that makes decisions about people who lack mental capacity. Its daily cause list is published separately.
CoP cases deal with decisions about medical treatment, living arrangements, finances, and welfare for people who cannot make these decisions themselves. Cases are typically listed as 'Re [initials]' or with an anonymised case name.
Most CoP hearings are held in private, though transparency orders have become more common. Check the listing notes for each case.
Reporting Restrictions
Family Court proceedings carry some of the strictest reporting restrictions in the English legal system. Understanding them is essential for anyone who might publish information about a case.
Section 97 of the Children Act 1989 makes it a criminal offence to publish any material intended or likely to identify a child involved in family proceedings. Section 12 of the Administration of Justice Act 1960 restricts publication of information relating to proceedings held in private.
The Transparency Pilot (launched in 2023 and extended in 2025) allows accredited journalists and legal bloggers to attend certain Family Court hearings and report on them, subject to anonymisation requirements. Check whether the pilot applies at your court.
Family Court Reporting
Even where journalists are permitted to attend Family Court hearings under the transparency pilot, publishing any information that could identify the children or family involved remains a criminal offence unless the court has specifically authorised it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I attend a Family Court hearing?
Most Family Court hearings are held in private. Accredited journalists may attend under the Transparency Pilot in some courts. Members of the public cannot generally attend unless they are a party to the case or the court has made a specific order permitting it.
What does 'Re Minor' mean on the cause list?
'Re Minor' is an anonymised case name used to protect the identity of a child. It indicates a case involving a child (a minor). The child's actual name will not appear on the public cause list.
What is a FHDRA?
FHDRA stands for First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment. It is the first hearing in a private law child arrangements case. The court will have a Cafcass safeguarding report and will try to help parents reach an agreement without needing a full trial.
How do Family Court cause lists differ from criminal court lists?
Family Court lists use different terminology (applicant/respondent instead of prosecution/defendant), case names are anonymised, most hearings are in private, and the hearing types relate to family proceedings rather than criminal charges. The lists may be shorter as many cases are confidential.
What is the Court of Protection?
The Court of Protection is a specialist court that makes decisions for people who lack mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. It covers welfare, healthcare, and financial decisions. It has its own cause list (COP Daily Cause List) published separately.
Track Family Court cases
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Create free accountData sourced from HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. Court information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Crown copyright.