Looking for help in your family court proceedings?Bridge The Gap is a free, community-built guide to UK family court, written by litigants and McKenzie Friends, for litigants. Real observations, plain English, and people who can help..
Assumption: "If I refuse to go to the MIAM, he cannot take me to court."
1 min readThis content reflects observational insights and lived community experiences. It does not constitute legal advice — always consult a qualified professional for your specific circumstances.
What People Expect
Not attending a MIAM stops the other person from applying to court.
Court Reality
Nobody can force you to attend a MIAM. But your refusal does not stop the other person. Before applying to court, the applicant has to attend a MIAM unless an exemption applies, and since April 2024 the other person not attending is no longer an exemption. So he can attend alone and go on to apply. In financial cases the court starts from each side paying their own costs, but it must look at any failure, without good reason, to attend a MIAM. That can be a reason to make a costs order against the person who did not attend. It is one factor the judge weighs, not an automatic penalty.
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Bridge The Gap
Skipping the MIAM does not stop a court application. It can affect costs.
If I refuse to go to the MIAM, he cannot take me to court.
Reality
Nobody can force you to attend a MIAM. But your refusal does not stop the other person.
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