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.

Period Family court - total cases started
Jan - Dec 2011 263,655
Jan - Dec 2012 265,874
Jan - Dec 2013 265,491
Jan - Dec 2014 241,463
Jan - Dec 2015 244,824
Jan - Dec 2016 255,865
Jan - Dec 2017 255,402
Jan - Dec 2018 263,542
Jan - Dec 2019 267,129
Jan - Dec 2020 265,815
Jan - Dec 2021 266,911
Jan - Dec 2022 269,996
Jan - Dec 2023 263,576
Jan - Dec 2024 262,912
Jan - Dec 2025 270,474

Jan - Dec 2025

270,474

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

Family court - total cases disposed

Total cases disposed at family court.

Period Family court - total cases disposed
Jan - Dec 2011 233,920
Jan - Dec 2012 235,147
Jan - Dec 2013 240,213
Jan - Dec 2014 247,036
Jan - Dec 2015 220,429
Jan - Dec 2016 228,104
Jan - Dec 2017 225,931
Jan - Dec 2018 213,126
Jan - Dec 2019 233,121
Jan - Dec 2020 225,017
Jan - Dec 2021 248,619
Jan - Dec 2022 203,823
Jan - Dec 2023 235,344
Jan - Dec 2024 246,552
Jan - Dec 2025 244,972

Jan - Dec 2025

244,972

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

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 15,257
Jan - Dec 2012 15,646
Jan - Dec 2013 15,360
Jan - Dec 2014 15,118
Jan - Dec 2015 16,229
Jan - Dec 2016 19,209
Jan - Dec 2017 19,389
Jan - Dec 2018 19,307
Jan - Dec 2019 18,634
Jan - Dec 2020 18,261
Jan - Dec 2021 16,677
Jan - Dec 2022 16,543
Jan - Dec 2023 15,553
Jan - Dec 2024 15,978
Jan - Dec 2025 16,349

Jan - Dec 2025

16,349

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

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 49,095
Jan - Dec 2012 52,064
Jan - Dec 2013 54,673
Jan - Dec 2014 42,299
Jan - Dec 2015 43,350
Jan - Dec 2016 48,342
Jan - Dec 2017 51,004
Jan - Dec 2018 52,282
Jan - Dec 2019 55,485
Jan - Dec 2020 55,810
Jan - Dec 2021 54,727
Jan - Dec 2022 52,166
Jan - Dec 2023 50,850
Jan - Dec 2024 51,530
Jan - Dec 2025 55,311

Jan - Dec 2025

55,311

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

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 118,280
Jan - Dec 2014 113,281
Jan - Dec 2015 115,205
Jan - Dec 2016 114,739
Jan - Dec 2017 109,931
Jan - Dec 2018 119,069
Jan - Dec 2019 117,360
Jan - Dec 2020 113,721
Jan - Dec 2021 109,115
Jan - Dec 2022 123,136
Jan - Dec 2023 113,929
Jan - Dec 2024 111,227
Jan - Dec 2025 109,817

Jan - Dec 2025

109,817

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

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 60,630
Jan - Dec 2007 57,198
Jan - Dec 2008 50,915
Jan - Dec 2009 45,445
Jan - Dec 2010 45,748
Jan - Dec 2011 41,345
Jan - Dec 2012 42,636
Jan - Dec 2013 42,666
Jan - Dec 2014 37,422
Jan - Dec 2015 37,739
Jan - Dec 2016 41,356
Jan - Dec 2017 42,151
Jan - Dec 2018 39,997
Jan - Dec 2019 39,351
Jan - Dec 2020 37,764
Jan - Dec 2021 47,074
Jan - Dec 2022 38,544
Jan - Dec 2023 43,397
Jan - Dec 2024 45,072
Jan - Dec 2025 48,620

Jan - Dec 2025

48,620

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

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 17,292
Jan - Dec 2013 19,710
Jan - Dec 2014 20,259
Jan - Dec 2015 19,477
Jan - Dec 2016 20,030
Jan - Dec 2017 21,183
Jan - Dec 2018 21,324
Jan - Dec 2019 25,342
Jan - Dec 2020 30,646
Jan - Dec 2021 30,242
Jan - Dec 2022 31,063
Jan - Dec 2023 30,354
Jan - Dec 2024 29,486
Jan - Dec 2025 30,674

Jan - Dec 2025

30,674

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

Forced marriage protection

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

Period Forced marriage protection
Jan - Dec 2018 345
Jan - Dec 2019 429
Jan - Dec 2020 320
Jan - Dec 2021 237
Jan - Dec 2022 313
Jan - Dec 2023 305
Jan - Dec 2024 306
Jan - Dec 2025 347

Jan - Dec 2025

347

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

Female genital mutilation protection

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

Period Female genital mutilation protection
Jan - Dec 2018 115
Jan - Dec 2019 130
Jan - Dec 2020 61
Jan - Dec 2021 48
Jan - Dec 2022 61
Jan - Dec 2023 61
Jan - Dec 2024 61
Jan - Dec 2025 109

Jan - Dec 2025

109

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

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.

Period All Adoption Act
Jan - Dec 2011 11,091
Jan - Dec 2012 13,168
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 8,170
Jan - Dec 2023 8,476
Jan - Dec 2024 7,972
Jan - Dec 2025 7,808

Jan - Dec 2025

7,808

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

Applications made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005

Applications made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

A new data system came into effect in July 2024 (Cris). As such, data for 2024 does not cover a full year, and data published prior to this point has been archived.

Period Applications made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005
Jul - Sep 2024 9,668
Oct - Dec 2024 9,424
Jan - Mar 2025 9,620
Apr - Jun 2025 9,618
Jul - Sep 2025 11,366
Oct - Dec 2025 10,554

Oct - Dec 2025

10,554

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

High Court Deprivation of Liberty

Deprivation of Liberty cases starting in the High Court.

Period High Court Deprivation of Liberty
Jan - Mar 2024 290
Apr - Jun 2024 299
Jul - Sep 2024 370
Oct - Dec 2024 321
Jan - Mar 2025 321
Apr - Jun 2025 358
Jul - Sep 2025 381
Oct - Dec 2025 379

Oct - Dec 2025

379

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

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 273,246
Jan - Dec 2021 282,855
Jan - Dec 2022 292,253
Jan - Dec 2023 302,881
Jan - Dec 2024 299,423
Jan - Dec 2025 304,944

Jan - Dec 2025

304,944

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.

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 241,769
Jan - Dec 2013 273,448
Jan - Dec 2014 366,761
Jan - Dec 2015 458,163
Jan - Dec 2016 611,490
Jan - Dec 2017 695,905
Jan - Dec 2018 737,497
Jan - Dec 2019 842,781
Jan - Dec 2020 677,760
Jan - Dec 2021 715,104
Jan - Dec 2022 851,710
Jan - Dec 2023 1,167,531
Jan - Dec 2024 1,495,691
Jan - Dec 2025 1,336,971

Jan - Dec 2025

1,336,971

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: 26 March 2026. Next publication: 25 June 2026 9:30am.