Family court
Narrative threshold document
A short prose document setting out the pattern of behaviour the court is invited to find proved — the format strongly preferred by the Court of Appeal in Re H-N [2021] over a long Scott Schedule.
Information only. This is not legal advice. Court procedures and the law change. Always confirm with a solicitor, Citizens Advice, or a domestic abuse advocate before acting.
NARRATIVE THRESHOLD DOCUMENT
Filed on behalf of the [Applicant / Respondent]
1. Overview
1. The Applicant invites the court to find that the Respondent has, over the course of the parties' relationship from [DATE] to date, engaged in a course of controlling and coercive behaviour as defined by section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 and by section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
2. Pattern of controlling and coercive behaviour
2. Isolation: [SUMMARY + cross-refs].
3. Monitoring and surveillance: [SUMMARY].
4. Economic control: [SUMMARY].
5. Threats and intimidation: [SUMMARY].
6. Physical and sexual violence: [SUMMARY].
7. Post-separation abuse and litigation abuse: [SUMMARY].
3. Impact on the child(ren)
8. Pursuant to section 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, the child(ren) of the family are themselves victims of domestic abuse. The impact is set out at paragraphs [X–Y] of the Applicant's witness statement and includes [SUMMARY].
4. Findings sought
9. The court is invited to find that the Respondent has engaged in a course of controlling and coercive behaviour as set out above, and in particular the discrete incidents at items 1–[N] of the Scott Schedule filed today.