Do I have any chance of getting emergency maintenance for myself and my baby? I am a stay-at-home mum, and my husband has walked out on us, and almost emptied our joint bank account.

Yes! Due to changes in the law a few years ago, you can apply immediately for temporary or even emergency maintenance, when you open the main maintenance file. Previously, you had to wait until a defence was filed, before applying, and often had to wait until the first preliminary hearing months later. Nowadays, courts can even grant temporary or pre-temporary ("emergency") maintenance, after a relatively short time - even 10 days after applying and serving, even before a defence is filed in the main claim - often on the basis of the written applicaiton and response, without a hearing.