Appeals to the Court of Appeal

If there’s a belief that your conviction or sentence was unfair, you may be able to get permission to appeal the decision through the court of appeal. The Supreme Court of Appeal is the highest court in England and Wales, and exclusively handles appeals that have been passed on from other courts or tribunals.

High Court appeals are only granted if new evidence has been discovered, or if there is another substantial reason why the original sentence or conviction is unfair.

What do I need to send to the Court of Appeal?

Once your court or tribunal has given you permission to appeal against your sentence or conviction, you will be required to send some important documents to the Court of Appeal. It’s absolutely essential that you send these files, or you will not be able to appeal:

• Appellant’s Notice: This contains details of your appeal.
• Ground of Appeal: What are your reasons for making an appeal?
• Skeleton Argument: an outline of the arguments you will use in your appeal.
• A sealed copy of the decision you would like to appeal.

You’ll need to send three copies of your permission form from the lower court or tribunal, plus the grounds for appeal, to the Court of Appeal. You’ll also need to send extra copies to each of the respondents.

If you get permission from the Court of Appeal, you’ll need to prepare an appeal bundle. For more details on preparing your appeal bundle for the court of appeal, visit the official form from HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

Please note: you will have to pay a £1,199 court fee for your appeal.

If you are interested in making an appeal to the Court of Appeal, we can help. Here at DBT & Partners, our dedicated team of solicitors have years of experience in handling High Court appeals. Contact us today to discuss your next steps.