PSU

I''ve got to go to court and can''t afford a solicitor, can the PSU help?

Its well worth asking them if you cannot afford a solicitor, these are their contact details.


The PSU is an independent charity, based in the main building at the Royal Courts of Justice in Strand, London. The PSU provides non-legal advice, help, information and support to litigants in person and to any member of the public attending at the Royal Courts of Justice who may need help or assistance. We also operate at the Principal Registry of the Family Division at First Avenue House, High Holborn and at Wandsworth County Court

Public support units to help litigant in persons at court hearings.

The PSU is an independent charity, based in the main building at the Royal Courts of Justice in Strand, London. The PSU provides non-legal advice, help, information and support to litigants in person and to any member of the public attending at the Royal Courts of Justice who may need help or assistance. We also operate at the Principal Registry of the Family Division at First Avenue House, High Holborn and at Wandsworth County Court

Where to find us

Royal Courts of Justice

Principal Registry of the Family Division

Wandsworth County Court

Manchester Civil Justice Centre

Cardiff Civil Justice Centre

Birmingham Civil Justice Centre

Liverpool
At every PSU, our team of volunteers provide non-legal advice, help, information and support to litigants in person, witnesses, family members and any members of the public attending the courts who may be in need of help or assistance. Click here to find out more about the ways in which we can help you.

Royal Courts of Justice
You can find us in room M104 of the Royal Courts of Justice. This is on the first floor, opposite courts 5 and 6. Court staff will be able to point you in the right direction.

Our office is open between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

You are welcome to come and talk to us in advance of your hearing, or you can simply drop in on the day. To guarantee that there will be a volunteer available to assist you, you can make an appointment in advance by calling us on 020 7947 7701 or 020 7947 7703.

You can also e-mail us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Click here for a map showing how to find the Royal Courts of Justice and for local travel information.

Principal Registry of the Family Division
You can find us in room 4.08 of First Avenue House on High Holborn. Court staff will be able to point you in the right direction.

Our office is open between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

You are welcome to come and talk to us in advance of your hearing, or you can simply drop in on the day. To guarantee that there will be a volunteer available to assist you, you can make an appointment in advance by calling us on 020 7947 7701 or 020 7947 7703.

Click here for a map showing how to find First Avenue House and for local transport information.

Wandsworth County Court
You can find us in Consultation Room 1 on the ground floor of Wandsworth County Court. Court staff will be able to point you in the right direction.

Our office is open between 9.45am and 4pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. We do not open on Wednesdays.

You are welcome to come and talk to us in advance of your hearing, or you can simply drop in on the day.

To guarantee that there will be a volunteer available when you need them, you can make an appointment in advance by calling us on 020 8333 4366. Please call during our opening hours as there is no answerphone on this number.

Alternatively you can email us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Click here for a map showing how to find Wandsworth County Court and for local travel information.

Manchester Civil Justice Centre
You can find us in room 2.15 on level 2 of Manchester Civil Justice Centre. Court staff will be able to point you in the right direction.

Our office is open between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

You are welcome to come and talk to us in advance of your hearing, or you can simply drop in on the day. To guarantee that there will be a volunteer available to assist you, you can make an appointment in advance by calling us on 0161 240 5037.

You can also email us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Click here for a map showing how to find the Manchester Civil Justice Centre and for local travel information.

Cardiff Civil Justice Centre
Court staff will be able to point you in the right direction at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre.

Our office is open between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

You are welcome to come and talk to us in advance of your hearing, or you can simply drop in on the day. To guarantee that there will be a volunteer available to assist you, you can make an appointment in advance by calling us on 029 2034 3685.

You can also e-mail us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Birmingham Civil Justice Centre
You can find us in Room 19 of Level 1 at Birmingham Civil Justice Centre. Court staff will be able to point you in the right direction.

Our office is open between 9:30am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday.

You are welcome to come and talk to us in advance of your hearing, or you can simply drop in on the day. To guarantee that there will be a volunteer available to assist you, you can make an appointment in advance by calling us on 0121 250 6354.

You can also e-mail us: ''; document.write( '''' ); document.write( addy_text42491 ); document.write( '''' ); //-->


Liverpool Civil and Family Court
You can find us on the first floor of Liverpool Civil and Family Court on Vernon Street. Court staff will be able to point you in the right direction.

Our office opens on a part-time basis.

You are welcome to come and talk to us in advance of your hearing, or you can simply drop in on the day. To guarantee that there will be a volunteer available to assist you, you can make an appointment in advance by calling us on 0151 296 2296.

You can also e-mail us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Among those who help are students undertaking the Bar Professional Training Course,

The Personal Support Unit (PSU) is a charity that helps all those coming to court, primarily those who do not have legal representation. We do not give legal advice but provide practical and emotional support. Our trained volunteers:

Can accompany you into court

Provide a safe and quiet place to sit before and after court hearings

Talk through your case with you

Help to get around the building and find court offices

Find answers to simple questions

thank you...

I have had help from the PSU, in fact the appeals office in RCJ called them to assist me when I broke down in tears there a few years back.

They are a great support but they cannot help you with legal arguments or documents and they do not give legal advice (just backing up LLM hear).

You can however get legal advice from the PRFD in High Holborn from the citizens advice office and the pro bono solicitors that give their time to the general public (been there also).

They do not have much time so you need to get your papers in order and your questions ready for the appointment (there will be other pro bono citizens advice units no doubt across the country).

I think my appointment was just 10 minutes - hard to get things down and across in that time. usually appointments are available in about 2 weeks but I expect if varies from district to district.

Don''t forget that you can always take a trusted friend to court as a MacKenzie Friend (I prefer the term moral counsel).

Courts vary across the UK some allow Macs without an application and some need an application - a D11 with a short CV of the Mac confirming who they are and that there is no personal or financial conflict of interest that would prevent them attending court with you.

Just to add a little experience to LLM''s expertise in that the person who helped me from the PSU had no legal training but was a retired teacher with an interest in helping the general public and those involved in civil proceedings.

At the end of the couple of hours she spent with me I wanted to give her a tip or a hug or something but just had to thank her profusely for all the moral support she gave me during a very grueling few hours finding my way around the maze of offices in the RCJ.

For those interested the RCJ is open to the general public and is an amazingly complex place full of history, works of art and it has an amazing atmosphere (often shown on the tele the impressive old arch and stonework on the Strand).

You can also go in there and talk to reception about the civil cases that are being held that day (most of which are open court).

It is worth going and seeing civil process in action for anyone either interested generally or considering a career in law or who might be facing the proposition of a contentious civil proceeding during financial remedy in divorce (those things being separate entities in law).

I visited the Manchester PSU yesterday, and have arranged for them to accompany to my court hearings for moral support (so that I''m not on my own). I''m fine with the paperwork required, I''m just scared of running into the STBX on my own when I know he''ll have support.