From overwhelmed to reassured through every step: Kamal’s story

Kamal* came to Support Through Court for help facing a difficult situation. A father of two children going through divorce proceedings, he was preparing for an important family court hearing about arrangements for his children. English was not his first language, and he found it difficult to communicate confidently and coherently in both spoken and written English.  

Kamal had prepared to attend an initial hearing at the London Central Family Court. However, his hearing had been postponed and moved online. With no barrister or solicitor, he was signposted by the court staff to Support Through Court to help prepare him for his new hearing date.  

When Kamal arrived at our office, he was visibly anxious, explaining that he had not understood anything of the process at that point. He had had no support from a lawyer to date, and the change in his hearing date only made him feel more confused and overwhelmed. Meanwhile, the other party was legally represented, which further added to his anxiety.  

Sally*, one of our volunteers, took the time to listen to Kamal and understand his situation, and helped him find out how to access remote support through our Support Through Court Online service ahead of his upcoming remote hearing. Sally also helped Kamal express his thoughts and timeline of events clearly and confidently on paper to present his statement to the court and helped him to send the relevant documents to the correct court contact.  

Without our support, Kamal would not have known about the remote support available to him and would not have been able to ensure his statement was clear, concise and sent to the appropriate court, which could have had a detrimental impact on his ability to present his case.  

His appointment with our volunteer lasted a full hour. By the end, Kamal’s anxiety had visibly eased. He left with his shoulders dropped and was smiling, saying how grateful he was for the help he had received, and knowing he had support available for his next hearing.  

For many people facing the family courts alone, having someone take the time to listen, explain the process and provide practical support can make all the difference to stressful and deeply personal legal proceedings, giving them the clarity and confidence to prepare for court. This is exactly the impact our volunteers have every day.

Could you be that person for someone like Kamal? Become a Support Through Court volunteer and help people face court with greater confidence and understanding.

*Client and volunteer names changed