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EX740 form: ask the court to stop questioning in person (if you say you were abused)

Form EX740 gives the family court the information it needs to decide whether questioning (cross-examination) in person should be prevented in your case. It is completed by the person who says they are, or are at risk of being, a victim of domestic abuse by another party. The person accused of abuse uses form EX741.

Fill in the EX740 form with Wren

How Wren helps with the EX740

Official forms are written for lawyers. With Wren you do not have to decode this one on your own, and you still follow the court’s procedure.

  1. Plain questions, one at a timeEach part of the EX740 becomes short questions in everyday words. Answer at your own pace and come back to it.
  2. Help beside each questionWhat the question is asking and what the official guidance says about it, in plain English.
  3. The official form, filled inYour answers go into the official EX740. You check it, sign it and send it yourself. Nothing goes to the court for you.
  4. What comes next, kept with your caseWhat usually happens after you send it, with the dates worked out from the published rules.

Time and money

On your own
A day or more
With Wren
About an hour for most forms
Solicitor for this form
£740 to £1,2403 to 5 hours

A solicitor’s time for the EX740 can run to £1,240. With Wren it is part of £19.99 a month, and it takes about an hour for most forms rather than a day or more.

Times and hours are Wren’s estimates for a typical case, not quotes. Solicitor costs are those hours at £247 an hour, the courts’ guideline rate for a solicitor with over four years’ experience, outside London (GOV.UK, Solicitors' guideline hourly rates (in effect from 1 January 2026)). The guideline runs from £200 to £295 an hour outside London depending on experience, firms set their own rates, and VAT is added on top.

Key facts

Official title
Accuser: Apply to the court to consider whether to prevent (prohibit) questioning (cross-examination) in person: Form EX740
Who completes it
Parties complete EX740 (the person making the accusations) or EX741 (the person accused) to raise the automatic prohibition of questioning in personSource: para 2.2, 2.3 (external source, opens in a new tab)
Return by
Within 14 days, unless the court has set a different time, to the court dealing with your caseSource: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
Automatic prohibition
Applies where a party has been convicted of, cautioned for or charged with a specified offence against the other, where an on-notice protective injunction is in force between them, or where there is specified evidence of domestic abuseSource: para 1.4(a); Annex B s 31R (external source, opens in a new tab); para 1.4(a); Annex B s 31S (external source, opens in a new tab); para 1.4(a); Annex B s 31T (external source, opens in a new tab)
Court direction
Where no automatic prohibition applies, the court may still direct it if questioning in person would affect the quality of the evidence or cause significant distress, and it is not contrary to the interests of justiceSource: para 3.1, 3.7; Annex B s 31U (external source, opens in a new tab); para 2.1, 3.2 (external source, opens in a new tab)
Lawyer for the questioning
If questioning in person is prevented, the prohibited party is invited to arrange a qualified legal representative, and the court can appoint one. That lawyer only carries out the questioning and neither party pays for them.Source: para 6.1, 6.2(a) (external source, opens in a new tab)
Reasons
The court must give reasons in its order for making or refusing a directionSource: para 3.6, 4.5 (external source, opens in a new tab)

Who uses the EX740

The person making the abuse accusations in family proceedings, whether they are the applicant, the respondent or a witness. A witness answers only the questions the form names for witnesses.

When it is used

When the court directs that a case be listed for a hearing where oral evidence may be given, the parties may need to complete EX740 or EX741. The court will tell you if you must. The form says to return it within 14 days unless the court sets a different time.

Before you start

  • The court name and case number, from a letter or order from the court.
  • The date of the next hearing, if one has been set.
  • Details and dates of any caution, charge or conviction of a party for a specified offence. The form links to the list of specified offences on legislation.gov.uk.
  • A copy of any protective order made in your favour, such as a non-molestation order, with its case number and date.
  • A copy of any specified evidence of abuse. The form links to the list of specified evidence on legislation.gov.uk.
  • Your legal representative's details, if you have one.

How to fill in the EX740

Open each part for what it asks and how to answer it. In Wren, each part is a few plain questions, and your answers fill in the form.

The front page and questions 1 to 3

You give the court name, case number and date, your name and your role in the case: applicant, respondent or witness. Questions 1 to 3 also ask for the date of the next hearing.

Supporting evidence (questions 4 to 6)

You say whether any party has been cautioned for, charged with or convicted of a specified offence, which protective orders have been made in your favour, and whether there is specified evidence that you are a victim of abuse by a party. The form asks you to attach copies of any order and any specified evidence.

In court (questions 7 to 9)

You say whether being questioned in person by a party would stop you giving your best evidence or cause you significant distress, and whether having to question a party or witness yourself would cause you significant distress, with brief reasons.

Application to the court (questions 10 and 11)

You say whether you want to apply for the court to prevent a party from questioning you in person, and whether you want a legal representative to ask questions on your behalf.

Legal representative and statement of truth

If a legal representative acts for you, you give their details. You then sign the statement of truth and return the form to the court.

Prepare your EX740 with Wren Family

Wren Family turns official forms into short, plain-English questions you can answer at your own pace. You check everything before you send it: nothing goes to the court for you.

Get started

Free for 14 days, no card. Then £19.99 a month, with your money back within 14 days if it’s not right.

What happens after you send it

The court considers whether questioning in person is automatically prevented or whether to direct that it must not happen, and gives reasons for its decision. If it is prevented and the party who would ask the questions has no lawyer, the court invites them to arrange one and can appoint a qualified legal representative to do the questioning. You can prepare the form in Wren once it is available in your Forms list. Wren does not file, serve or send anything for you.

Common mistakes

  • Not returning the form within 14 days when the court has asked for it.
  • Ticking that an order or specified evidence exists but not attaching a copy.
  • Answering every question as a witness. A witness answers only the questions the form names.
  • Forgetting to sign the statement of truth.

Common questions

What is the difference between EX740 and EX741?

EX740 is for the person who says they are, or are at risk of being, a victim of domestic abuse. EX741 is for the person accused of abuse. They ask similar questions so the court can consider both sides.

Do I have to pay for the lawyer who asks the questions?

No. The form says a lawyer appointed by the court to carry out the questioning does not act for either party, and neither party has to pay for them.

Does the court have to prevent questioning in person if I ask?

Only where the automatic rules apply, such as a relevant conviction, caution, charge, protective injunction or specified evidence. Otherwise the court decides whether the conditions for a direction are met, and must give reasons.

Where these facts come from

These are the official rules and pages this page is based on. They are listed so you can check a detail for yourself; you do not need them to use Wren. They are outside Wren and open in a new tab.

Last checked against its sources on . How we check our pages.

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