What happens at a first appointment in a financial remedy case

How long it takes, and what it would cost

On your own

Several days

With Wren

A couple of hours

Solicitor for each hearing

£740 to £1,4803 to 6 hours

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.

When it happens

When Form A is issued, the court fixes the first appointment. The rules say it is not less than 12 and not more than 16 weeks after the application was filed. The date is sent to both parties.

The date cannot be cancelled without the court's permission. If it is cancelled, the court must fix a new date straight away.

The Financial Remedies Guide says first appointments before a district or circuit judge are usually listed for 45 or 60 minutes.

What to prepare beforehand

There are several documents with fixed deadlines. Time limits in days are counted as clear days, so you leave out the day of the hearing.

If you served Form A yourself, you must also file a certificate of service at or before the hearing.

1. Form E, exchanged and filed at least 35 days before.
2. A statement of the issues, a chronology and a questionnaire, filed and served at least 14 days before.
3. Form G, saying whether you could go straight to an FDR, at least 14 days before.
4. Form FM5, on non-court dispute resolution, at least 7 days before.
5. Form H, your costs estimate, at least one day before.
6. A position statement and the composite ES1 and ES2, by 11:00 on the working day before.

ES1, ES2 and housing evidence

The Financial Remedies Guide asks the applicant to file a composite case summary on Template ES1 and a schedule of assets on Template ES2. These are built from both Forms E, with unagreed items marked. Filing the ES1 counts as the statement of issues and chronology.

The parties must work together on these. The guide says this applies equally to litigants in person.

The guide also asks for evidence about housing at least 14 days before. This includes a market appraisal for each family home, up to three property particulars for each party, and brief evidence of borrowing capacity.

The questionnaire

The questionnaire lists further information and documents you want from the other party. It must link to the issues in your statement of issues. If you need nothing, you file a statement saying so.

The Financial Remedies Guide limits it to four A4 pages in 12-point font with 1.5 spacing. Requests should be proportionate.

Before the first appointment, no other disclosure can be requested or given beyond Form E and its documents.

What happens at the hearing

Both parties must attend in person. The judge must use the hearing to define the issues and save costs.

The judge decides which questionnaire questions must be answered and which documents produced. The judge also gives directions about valuing assets, experts and evidence. A party with a pension may be told to complete Form P.

The judge must then refer the case to an FDR appointment, unless that is not appropriate. If both parties are ready, the judge may treat the first appointment as the FDR. The date of the next hearing is fixed before you leave.

Using the first appointment as an FDR

You and the other party may agree to use the first appointment as an FDR. The Financial Remedies Guide says you should tell the court by the Form G deadline, so a longer hearing can be arranged. You must then follow the FDR requirements as well.

If you are worried about your safety

If you are in danger, call 999 in an emergency. You can ask the court to keep your address and contact details from the other party using Form C8.

The court must check any MIAM exemption you claimed, and in any event at the first hearing.

Key dates

1. Within 7 days of notice of the first appointmentAsk each pension arrangement for a valuation, then send it to the other party within 7 days of receiving it.Source: r 9.30(1),(2),(4) ↗ (external source, opens in a new tab)
2. At least 35 days beforeExchange and file Form E with the other party at the same time.Source: r 9.14(1) ↗ (external source, opens in a new tab)
3. At least 14 days beforeFile and serve a statement of issues, chronology, questionnaire and Form G.Source: r 9.14(5)(a) ↗ (external source, opens in a new tab)
4. At least 14 days beforeFile housing evidence: a market appraisal, property particulars and borrowing capacity material.Source: para 52a ↗ (external source, opens in a new tab)
5. At least 7 days beforeFile and serve Form FM5.Source: para 10B(a), 10C(a) ↗ (external source, opens in a new tab)
6. At least one day beforeFile and serve Form H with costs to date and expected costs up to the FDR.Source: r 9.27(2) ↗ (external source, opens in a new tab)
7. By 11:00 on the working day beforeApplicant files the composite ES1 and ES2; both file position statements.Source: para 57 ↗ (external source, opens in a new tab)