How to write a position statement for a family court hearing
A position statement is a short document that tells the judge your position for a particular hearing and what order you are asking for. It is not evidence, has strict page limits, and a fresh one is written for each hearing.
- Starting a case
- Responding to a case
- Already in court
How long it takes, and what it would cost
- On your own
- A day or two
- With Wren
- About an hour
- Solicitor for each position statement
- £490 to £9902 to 4 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.
What a position statement is
The judiciary's guide for litigants in person describes it as a short document. It explains your position for that hearing and what you want the judge to order.
It should not repeat your evidence. It must not introduce new evidence or significant new issues. Each party files their own position statement.
A skeleton argument is a different document, setting out legal arguments.
Page limits
Practice Direction 27A sets maximum lengths. In children and other non-financial cases, a position statement must not exceed 3 pages.
In financial remedy cases before a district or circuit judge, the limits include attached schedules:
- First appointment: 6 pages.
- Any other interim hearing: 8 pages.
- FDR appointment: 12 pages, not counting agreed documents.
- Final hearing: 15 pages, not counting agreed documents.
What to include
Practice Direction 27A says a position statement must define and confine the issues. It should use numbered paragraphs and refer to bundle page numbers where it can. It must be self-contained and avoid long quotations.
It must set out the orders you are asking for. Where it applies, it should also say how you have tried to negotiate openly and reasonably, and your views on non-court dispute resolution.
It must not include exhibits. If you cite a case, state the legal point first, then point to the relevant part of the case.
- The date of the hearing on the front page, below the heading.
- The issues for this hearing.
- The order or directions you are asking for.
- In financial cases, the efforts made to negotiate.
Format
Documents in the bundle should, where possible, be at least 12-point font with 1.5 or double spacing, in Arial or Times New Roman. The Financial Remedies Guide asks for financial position statements as a PDF, in 12-point font with 1.5 spacing.
Each preliminary document should be as short as possible. It should state the hearing date on the front page, just below the heading.
When to file it
Write a new position statement for every hearing. Practice Direction 27A says reusing an old one with an update section is not appropriate.
In financial remedy cases, the Financial Remedies Guide says position statements are filed by 11:00 on the working day before the hearing. They are exchanged with the other party no later than one hour after that deadline. Litigants in person send them by email or post, as they cannot use the online portal.
In other cases, follow your court order. Preliminary documents not already sent are due by 11am on the working day before the hearing.
If there are safety concerns
If there is domestic abuse or an order limiting contact, the bundle guide says not to contact the other party directly about documents. 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.
Write it yourself, not with AI
A position statement is your summary for the judge, so it should say what you mean in your own words. The judiciary's guidance on artificial intelligence warns that AI chatbots are prone to error and can make up cases, citations and quotes, and that a judge may ask whether one was used and what checks you made. You are responsible for what you put to the court.
Wren's position statement builder takes you through it one step at a time with a made-up example, and sets out your own words as a draft for you to check.
Key dates
- By 11:00 on the working day before (financial remedy)File your position statement with the court.Source: paras 91, 92 (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Within one hour after the filing deadline (financial remedy)Exchange position statements with the other party.Source: paras 91, 92 (external source, opens in a new tab)
- By 11am on the working day before (all family cases)Preliminary documents not already sent are served and filed.Source: para 13.2 (external source, opens in a new tab)
Get organised with Wren Family
You still run your own case, with help at every step. Wren Family turns long official forms into short, plain-English questions, guides you through each hearing, helps you write statements in your own words, and keeps your dates, papers and orders in one place. Nothing is sent to the court for you.
Get startedFree for 14 days, no card. Then £19.99 a month, with your money back within 14 days if it’s not right.
Common questions
How long should a position statement be?
In children cases, no more than 3 pages. In financial remedy cases before a district or circuit judge, the limits are 6, 8, 12 and 15 pages. These apply to a first appointment, other interim hearings, an FDR and a final hearing.
Is a position statement evidence?
No. The judiciary's guide says preliminary documents are not evidence. A position statement must not introduce new evidence or exhibits.
When is a position statement due?
Check your court order first. In financial remedy cases it is due by 11:00 on the working day before the hearing.
Can I reuse my position statement from the last hearing?
No. Practice Direction 27A says a fresh one must be prepared for each hearing.
What is the difference between a position statement and a skeleton argument?
A position statement sets out your position for the hearing. A skeleton argument is a separate document setting out legal arguments.
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.
- Practice Direction 27A: court bundles (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Judiciary: Preparing Court Bundles for Family Proceedings, Guide for Litigants in Person (2 March 2026) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Financial Remedies Court, Financial Remedies Guide (March 2026) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Form C8, keep your contact details confidential (external source, opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Report domestic abuse (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Family Procedure Rules 2010, Part 29 (confidential details) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Guidance for Judicial Office Holders, 31 October 2025, section 3 (external source, opens in a new tab)