How to write a witness statement for the family court

How long it takes, and what it would cost

On your own

A week or more of evenings

With Wren

A couple of hours

Solicitor for each statement

£1,240 to £2,4705 to 10 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 witness statement is

The rules define it as a written statement, signed by the person making it, containing the evidence they could give in court.

At hearings other than the final hearing, evidence is usually given by witness statement. At the final hearing your statement normally stands as your main evidence. You can be questioned on all of it.

The court may give directions about when statements are served. If a final hearing statement is not served on time, the witness may not be allowed to give oral evidence.

The heading and first page

Practice Direction 22A sets out how a statement should look.

1. Head it with the case number and the names of the applicant and respondent.
2. At the top right of page 1, show who it is for, your initials and surname, and its number (1st, 2nd).
3. Also at the top right, show the exhibit marks and the date.
4. Use A4 with numbered pages and numbered paragraphs.
5. Write numbers and dates in figures.

Writing the content

Write in your own words, in the first person. Start with your full name, address and occupation, and say whether you are a party.

Make clear which things you know yourself and which you were told or believe. Give the source of anything you were told. Follow the order in which things happened, with one topic per paragraph.

In financial remedy cases, the Financial Remedies Guide says section 25 statements should contain evidence only, not argument or opinion. It suggests no more than 15 pages.

1. Say how you know each fact.
2. Refer to documents by their exhibit mark.

Write it in your own words, not with AI

Practice Direction 22A says a witness statement must, if practicable, be 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, and you sign the statement of truth yourself.

Wren's statement builders take you through each statement one step at a time with a made-up example, and set out your own words as a draft for you to check and sign.

Exhibits and length

Exhibits are documents you attach to support your statement. They must be kept separate from the statement. Mark each one on its first page with the case details and an exhibit mark.

A witness statement in the bundle must not exceed 25 pages, not counting exhibits. Every page of an exhibit must be readable. If a document is in another language, a translation must be filed with it.

The statement of truth

Every witness statement must end with a statement of truth, using the wording set out in Practice Direction 22A. It confirms you believe the facts are true. It also warns that a false statement without an honest belief in its truth can lead to contempt of court proceedings.

The person making the statement signs it. An electronic signature is acceptable. If a statement has no statement of truth, the court may refuse to admit it.

Any changes to a signed statement must be initialled by the maker.

Children cases and protective orders

GOV.UK publishes Form C120, a witness statement template for child arrangements cases about a parental dispute.

An application for a non-molestation or occupation order on Form FL401 must be supported by a witness statement. If it is made without notice, the statement must explain why.

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. Where a party's details are kept confidential, their signature is removed before the statement is served.