Registering Maintenance Orders in the Magistrates Court

If you apply for maintenance for yourself from your partner and the order is made in the County Court or the High Court you can apply to have the Maintenance Order "Registered" in your local Magistrates Court.

This is supposed to make the collection of maintenance payments from your partner easier. Your partner has to make the payments direct to your local Magistrates Court. The Magistrates Court are then responsible for sending the payments to you.

If your partner stops paying or falls behind with the payments then the Magistrates Court can issue a "Warrant" for him or her to appear at the court to explain why they have stopped paying or fallen behind with the payments.

Your partner can apply to the court to reduce the payments or you can apply to have the payments increased if your partner's financial circumstances change.

However, sometimes administrative difficulties mean that Magistrates Courts are not very effective and can be slow to chase your partner when the payments stop.

It may be better instead to get an order that your partner makes the maintenance payments to you by standing order directly into your bank account.