In some situations, you may not be required to attend a MIAM before applying to the family court. These situations are known as MIAM exemptions. They exist to protect people where mediation would not be safe, suitable, or practical.

If domestic abuse is part of your situation and you are in immediate danger, please contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (free, 24 hours) on 0808 2000 247, or call 999.

What a MIAM exemption is

A MIAM exemption is a recognised set of circumstances in which a person does not have to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting before making a family court application. The exemptions are set out in the Family Procedure Rules. Whether an exemption applies is usually decided by the court, based on the information you provide on your application.

Common exemptions

• Domestic abuse or safety concerns. Where there are concerns about domestic abuse, coercive control, or personal safety, mediation — and therefore a MIAM — may not be appropriate. Specific evidence is usually required to rely on this exemption, such as a police caution or conviction, a protective order, a letter from a GP or other health professional, or a referral from a domestic abuse support service.
  

• Urgent applications. Where immediate action is needed — for example, to protect a child or prevent harm — a MIAM may not be required before applying to court. Urgency is assessed on the facts of the case.
  

• Other situations. A MIAM may also not be required where there are certain existing or recent court proceedings, where mediation is clearly unsuitable, or where practical barriers make mediation unworkable.
  

A quick self-check

It may help to ask yourself: Is there an urgent risk of harm? Is the application genuinely urgent? Has mediation already been assessed as unsuitable? Are there practical reasons mediation cannot take place? If you answer yes to one or more of these, an exemption may apply — though the court will make the final decision.

How exemptions work in practice

If you believe an exemption applies, you explain this on your court application form, and the court reviews it. Alternatively, a qualified family mediator can confirm on the form that mediation is not suitable. Solicitors cannot issue MIAM certificates. Attending a MIAM does not remove your right to rely on an exemption if one genuinely applies.

If you are not exempt

If no exemption applies, attending a MIAM is your next step — and it is more straightforward than many people expect. Our online MIAMs start at £95, are held by video call with an FMC-registered mediator, and come with a court-approved certificate. A Fast Track appointment is available typically the same day if you are working to a deadline.