Witness Statements for the UK Family Court: What the Court Expects
Updated: Oct 16
Written by Dave Barma, Professional McKenzie Friend.
Last updated on 15.10.2026.
This is general information, not legal advice.
If you are representing yourself in the family court, the court may direct you to file a witness statement. It is your evidence, in writing and the court will read it carefully. This article explains what the court expects and why getting it right can be harder than it looks.
What is a witness statement in family court?
A witness statement tells the other party and the court what evidence you intend to rely on at a final hearing. It must be in the first person and in your own words, and it should only contain your own evidence.
What the court expects
The President of the Family Division issued a memorandum in November 2021 setting out the standards that family court witness statements are expected to meet. In short, a statement should be the witness's own factual evidence, in their own words, clear and concise. The court can exclude a statement that materially fails to meet those standards.
Why many statements fall short
Most people find it hard to keep to the facts, leave out opinion and argument, stay within a sensible length, and keep the focus on what the court actually has to decide. That is especially true when the situation is emotional and personal. A statement that is too long, too emotional or unfocused makes it harder for the court to see the points that matter, and that can work against you.
If you would like help
Some people prefer to have a first draft written for them.
Our fixed-fee statement drafting service turns the answers you give in an online questionnaire into a witness statement or position statement, delivered as an editable Word document.
The fee is £99.99 and your draft is sent within 2 working days of us receiving your completed questionnaire.
You answer the questions in our online questionnaire, and we do the drafting and structuring.
You remain responsible for reading, checking and signing the statement, and it must be your own evidence.
The service does not include calls, amendments after you submit the questionnaire, legal advice or any guarantee of outcome.
Find out more and get started:
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