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What to do if…
you receive a short-notice request to attend a hearing for someone in custody

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Check who sent the request, which court is handling the hearing, why you are being asked to attend, and whether attendance is in person or remote. Verify the details through the court or the person’s solicitor using independently obtained contact information.

Do not do these things

  • Do not assume an unexpected call, text, email, or forwarded message is an official court instruction.
  • Do not send money, banking details, passwords, or copies of identity documents to an unverified contact.
  • Do not use a phone number or link in the message as your only way of verifying it.
  • Do not share hearing links, access codes, case papers, or private case details with uninvolved people.
  • Do not record, photograph, stream, or take screenshots of a remote hearing.
  • Do not discuss the facts of the case with the person in custody if you may be a witness or have been told not to contact them.
  • Do not ignore a formal court document requiring your attendance without urgently checking what it means.
  • Do not travel to a court, prison, or police station solely on the basis of an unverified message.

What to do now

  1. Save the request. Note the sender, the time it arrived, the hearing date and time, the court name, any case reference, the name of the person in custody, and the stated reason for contacting you.

  2. Ask the sender to explain your role clearly. You might be being asked to attend as a witness, family member, supporter, interpreter, proposed address provider, or for another specific purpose.

  3. Verify the court independently. Use the relevant official court service to find its contact details, then ask whether the hearing is listed and whether your attendance has been requested. Provide the case reference if you have one.

  4. Contact the person’s solicitor if you know who they are. Obtain the firm’s details independently and ask whether the solicitor made or knows about the request, what your role is, and whether anything specific is needed from you.

  5. Check whether the request is informal or is a formal document requiring attendance. In England and Wales this may include a witness summons; in Scotland a witness may receive a citation. If the wording is unclear, contact the court, solicitor, prosecutor, or named witness contact promptly.

  6. If you cannot attend at the stated time, tell the court or the contact named on the verified document immediately. Explain the practical reason and ask what you must do next rather than assuming the hearing will be postponed.

  7. If the hearing is remote, confirm the joining instructions directly with the court. Use a private, quiet place, join at the requested time, follow the court’s directions, and do not record or share the hearing.

  8. If the hearing is in person, confirm the correct building, arrival time, security arrangements, accessibility needs, and whether you need identification or particular documents. Take the request and case reference with you.

  9. Tell the verified court contact promptly about disability access, interpreting needs, caring responsibilities, travel problems, or lack of suitable technology. Ask what arrangements may be available.

  10. Stop responding if the message demands payment, secrecy, gift cards, cryptocurrency, remote access to a device, or account credentials. Verify the situation directly through the court or solicitor.

What can wait

You do not need to decide what the person in custody should say, how they should plead, whether they will be released, or what the case outcome should be. You also do not need to collect references, accommodation evidence, financial records, or other documents unless a verified court or solicitor confirms that something specific is required now.

Important reassurance

Hearings involving someone held in custody can be arranged with limited notice. Short notice alone does not prove that the request is genuine or false, so focus only on verifying the arrangements, understanding your role, and reporting any barrier to attendance promptly.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate verification and attendance steps only. Questions about evidence, confidentiality, contact with the person in custody, release arrangements, or whether you are legally required to attend may need advice from the relevant court or a solicitor.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Court procedures, terminology, legal documents, and contact routes differ across England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Follow verified instructions from the court dealing with the hearing and seek legal advice where your position is unclear.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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