Courts data

Family court

Family law is the area of law that deals with:

  • Public law - local authority intervention to protect children;
  • Private law - parental disputes concerning the upbringing of children;
  • Matrimonial cases - divorces, annulments and separations;
  • Financial remedy (formerly known as 'ancillary relief') - financial provisions after divorce or relationship breakdown;
  • Domestic violence remedy orders;
  • Forced marriage protection orders;
  • Female genital mutilation protection orders;
  • Adoption;
  • The Mental Capacity Act; and
  • Probate

See family court statistics at MOJ for further information.

These measures show the annual total number of cases starting in family courts in England and Wales.


Family court - total cases started

Total cases started at family court.

Data for 2022 is not available. Please refer to the data quality issues section of the accompanying bulletin for further details.

Period Family court - total cases started
Jan - Dec 2011 263,252
Jan - Dec 2012 265,524
Jan - Dec 2013 265,303
Jan - Dec 2014 241,375
Jan - Dec 2015 244,803
Jan - Dec 2016 255,861
Jan - Dec 2017 255,382
Jan - Dec 2018 263,126
Jan - Dec 2019 266,609
Jan - Dec 2020 265,166
Jan - Dec 2021 266,076
Jan - Dec 2022

Jan - Dec 2022

-

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Family court - total cases disposed

Total cases disposed at family court.

Period Family court - total cases disposed
Jan - Dec 2011 233,540
Jan - Dec 2012 234,773
Jan - Dec 2013 240,728
Jan - Dec 2014 248,800
Jan - Dec 2015 221,537
Jan - Dec 2016 228,840
Jan - Dec 2017 226,786
Jan - Dec 2018 214,183
Jan - Dec 2019 234,223
Jan - Dec 2020 225,792
Jan - Dec 2021 249,618
Jan - Dec 2022 204,538

Jan - Dec 2022

204,538

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Children Act - public law

Public law - local authority intervention to protect children (annual total number of cases starting).

Period Children Act - public law
Jan - Dec 2011 14,789
Jan - Dec 2012 15,214
Jan - Dec 2013 15,028
Jan - Dec 2014 14,903
Jan - Dec 2015 15,988
Jan - Dec 2016 18,929
Jan - Dec 2017 19,123
Jan - Dec 2018 19,033
Jan - Dec 2019 18,393
Jan - Dec 2020 18,031
Jan - Dec 2021 16,445
Jan - Dec 2022 16,384

Jan - Dec 2022

16,384

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Children Act - private law

Private law - parental disputes concerning the upbringing of children (annual total number of cases starting).

Period Children Act - private law
Jan - Dec 2011 49,046
Jan - Dec 2012 52,037
Jan - Dec 2013 54,675
Jan - Dec 2014 42,291
Jan - Dec 2015 43,348
Jan - Dec 2016 48,320
Jan - Dec 2017 50,965
Jan - Dec 2018 52,229
Jan - Dec 2019 55,394
Jan - Dec 2020 55,711
Jan - Dec 2021 54,653
Jan - Dec 2022 52,220

Jan - Dec 2022

52,220

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Matrimonial matters

Matrimonial cases - divorces, annulments and separations (annual total number of cases starting).

Period Matrimonial matters
Jan - Dec 2006 147,754
Jan - Dec 2007 136,685
Jan - Dec 2008 129,321
Jan - Dec 2009 132,543
Jan - Dec 2010 133,868
Jan - Dec 2011 129,832
Jan - Dec 2012 125,068
Jan - Dec 2013 118,279
Jan - Dec 2014 113,281
Jan - Dec 2015 115,205
Jan - Dec 2016 114,739
Jan - Dec 2017 109,932
Jan - Dec 2018 119,071
Jan - Dec 2019 117,290
Jan - Dec 2020 113,458
Jan - Dec 2021 108,887
Jan - Dec 2022 122,653

Jan - Dec 2022

122,653

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Financial remedies

Financial remedy (formerly known as 'ancillary relief') - financial provisions after divorce or relationship breakdown (annual total number of cases starting).

Period Financial remedies
Jan - Dec 2006 60,626
Jan - Dec 2007 57,191
Jan - Dec 2008 50,911
Jan - Dec 2009 45,441
Jan - Dec 2010 45,744
Jan - Dec 2011 41,341
Jan - Dec 2012 42,634
Jan - Dec 2013 42,665
Jan - Dec 2014 37,420
Jan - Dec 2015 37,738
Jan - Dec 2016 41,355
Jan - Dec 2017 42,149
Jan - Dec 2018 39,995
Jan - Dec 2019 39,348
Jan - Dec 2020 37,804
Jan - Dec 2021 46,823
Jan - Dec 2022 38,157

Jan - Dec 2022

38,157

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Domestic violence remedy orders

Domestic violence remedy orders (annual total number of cases starting).

Period Domestic violence remedy orders
Jan - Dec 2011 17,035
Jan - Dec 2012 17,295
Jan - Dec 2013 19,710
Jan - Dec 2014 20,259
Jan - Dec 2015 19,476
Jan - Dec 2016 20,030
Jan - Dec 2017 21,182
Jan - Dec 2018 21,324
Jan - Dec 2019 25,344
Jan - Dec 2020 30,646
Jan - Dec 2021 30,242
Jan - Dec 2022 31,062

Jan - Dec 2022

31,062

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Forced marriage protection

Forced marriage protection orders (annual total number of cases starting).

Period Forced marriage protection
Jan - Dec 2009 94
Jan - Dec 2010 111
Jan - Dec 2011 118
Jan - Dec 2012 109
Jan - Dec 2013 144
Jan - Dec 2014 137
Jan - Dec 2015 189
Jan - Dec 2016 231
Jan - Dec 2017 202
Jan - Dec 2018 283
Jan - Dec 2019 340
Jan - Dec 2020 235
Jan - Dec 2021 200
Jan - Dec 2022 248

Jan - Dec 2022

248

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Female genital mutilation protection

Female genital mutilation protection orders (annual total number of cases starting).

Period Female genital mutilation protection
Jul 2015 to Dec 2015 35
Jan 2016 to Dec 2016 68
Jan 2017 to Dec 2017 85
Jan 2018 to Dec 2018 88
Jan 2019 to Dec 2019 102
Jan 2020 to Dec 2020 49
Jan 2021 to Dec 2021 35
Jan 2021 to Dec 2022 53

Jan 2021 to Dec 2022

53

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


All Adoption Act

All Adoption Act (annual total number of cases starting), as defined under the Adoption and Children Act 2002, including placement, adoption, along with other non-adoption orders including revocation of placement, change of surname and removal from the UK.

Data for 2022 is not available. Please refer to the data quality issues section of the accompanying bulletin for further details.

Period All Adoption Act
Jan - Dec 2011 11,091
Jan - Dec 2012 13,167
Jan - Dec 2013 14,802
Jan - Dec 2014 13,084
Jan - Dec 2015 12,824
Jan - Dec 2016 12,189
Jan - Dec 2017 11,744
Jan - Dec 2018 11,103
Jan - Dec 2019 10,398
Jan - Dec 2020 9,232
Jan - Dec 2021 8,791
Jan - Dec 2022

Jan - Dec 2022

-

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Applications made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005

Applications made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Period Applications made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005
Jan - Dec 2008 22,583
Jan - Dec 2009 19,093
Jan - Dec 2010 20,459
Jan - Dec 2011 23,538
Jan - Dec 2012 24,877
Jan - Dec 2013 24,923
Jan - Dec 2014 26,272
Jan - Dec 2015 26,722
Jan - Dec 2016 29,711
Jan - Dec 2017 31,332
Jan - Dec 2018 32,029
Jan - Dec 2019 34,445
Jan - Dec 2020 30,635
Jan - Dec 2021 35,379
Jan - Dec 2022 33,571

Jan - Dec 2022

33,571

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Probate service - applications for grants of representation

Number of applications made for grants of representation in non-contentious probate proceedings.

Period Probate service - applications for grants of representation
Jan - Dec 2012 254,599
Jan - Dec 2013 272,111
Jan - Dec 2014 254,602
Jan - Dec 2015 285,135
Jan - Dec 2016 261,251
Jan - Dec 2017 286,371
Jan - Dec 2018 269,074
Jan - Dec 2019 269,343
Jan - Dec 2020 273,507
Jan - Dec 2021 283,047
Jan - Dec 2022 292,303

Jan - Dec 2022

292,303

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.


Office of the Public Guardian - total power of attorney applications registered

Total registered applications for powers of attorney in England and Wales.

Period Office of the Public Guardian - total power of attorney applications registered
Jan - Dec 2008 57,997
Jan - Dec 2009 96,803
Jan - Dec 2010 147,605
Jan - Dec 2011 193,424
Jan - Dec 2012 241,767
Jan - Dec 2013 273,446
Jan - Dec 2014 366,759
Jan - Dec 2015 458,161
Jan - Dec 2016 611,487
Jan - Dec 2017 695,903
Jan - Dec 2018 737,496
Jan - Dec 2019 842,780
Jan - Dec 2020 677,767
Jan - Dec 2021 715,116
Jan - Dec 2022 851,795

Jan - Dec 2022

851,795

Data source

The data source for this measure and more detailed information can be found in the Family court statistics quarterly publication.

Publication date

Published: 21 December 2023. Next publication: 28 March 2024 9:30am. Update expected here by 15 April 2024.