[This page was updated on 30 April 2013]

What's new?

April 2013

Amendments to the PCMH form and Crown Court appeal notice

The Lord Chief Justice has authorised amendments to the PCMH form (Advocates' Questionnaire), which is for use in connection with Part 3 of the Criminal Procedure Rules, and to the notice of appeal from a magistrates' court to the Crown Court, for use in connection with Part 63 of the Rules.

Paragraphs 4, 7, 10 and 11 of the PCMH form have been changed to give effect to recommendations made by Lord Justice Gross' and Lord Justice Treacy's Further review of disclosure in criminal proceedings: sanctions for disclosure failure, and to make consequential amendments. (The review is published on the Judiciary website.)

The appeal notice now includes spaces to enter any email address and telephone number for the defendant, as well as the postal address, to make it easier to receive messages from the Crown Court office. 

Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Rules come into force

The changes to the Criminal Procedure Rules made by the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2012, announced in December, came into force on Monday 1 April 2013. The rules page on this website now includes those changes.

February 2013

Forms for use in criminal proceedings

The Lord Chief Justice has authorised an amendment to the form of notice to introduce hearsay evidence used with rule 34.2. The amended form includes a reference to introducing hearsay evidence under section 117(1)(c) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (statement prepared for the purposes of criminal proceedings or for a criminal investigation, where the witness is unavailable or unable to recollect).

December 2012

The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2012

The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee has made The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2012. They make changes to the Criminal Procedure Rules which will come into force on Monday 1st April 2013. When the changes come into force, the amendments they make will appear on this website.

A guide to the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2012 - a guide to those changes, based on the Explanatory Memorandum published with the new rules.

November 2012

Protocol on jury irregularities

The President of the Queen’s Bench Division has published a new protocol giving guidance on the Crown Court’s response to irregularities affecting a jury.

Protocols and other guidance which supplement the Criminal Procedure Rules and the Consolidated Criminal Practice Direction are listed on the Protocols page and can be read by following the link on that page.

Forms for use in criminal proceedings

The Lord Chief Justice has authorised amendments to three forms used in connection with the Criminal Procedure Rules: the PCMH form (Advocates' Questionnaire), the Welsh / English bilingual edition of the PCMH form, and the notice of appeal from a magistrates’ court to the Crown Court under Part 63 of the Rules.

The PCMH form now identifies separately the defence trial advocate and PCMH advocate, if different. The Welsh / English bilingual edition of the form now collects information about intended use of the Welsh language at trial in Wales, and an indication of which witnesses will speak Welsh. The appeal notice is laid out differently to make more space for the information needed from the appellant, to make more obvious any request for an extension of time, and to make space for any application for the suspension of a disqualification, or for bail, pending appeal.

October 2012 

The Criminal Procedure Rules 2012

The Criminal Procedure Rules 2012 came into force on 1 October 2012. The rules page on this website now contains the up to date rules, the glossary and a 2 page extract of the main rules about case management.

Forms for use with the new Rules

The forms page now includes new forms for use in connection with Part 19 (Bail and custody time limits) and Part 64 (Appeal to the High Court by case stated). 

September 2012 

Criminal Procedure Rule Committee appointments

The appointments to the Committee of the Rt Hon. Lord Justice Hooper, His Honour Judge Wide QC, Mr James Riches and Mr Jeremy Corbett ended on 31 August 2012. We are indebted to them for their significant contributions to the reform of the Rules.

The Lord Chancellor has appointed Mr Matthew Evans in succession to Mr Riches as a voluntary organisation representative, on the nomination of the Criminal Justice Alliance. 

The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee’s web-page has been amended to reflect Mr Evans’ appointment and the appointments and re-appointments that we announced in June.

Forms for use in criminal proceedings

On 29 August the Lord Chief Justice authorised the introduction of four new forms for use in connection with the Criminal Procedure Rules 2012, when those rules come into force on 1 October. Three are for use in connection with the new Part 19 rules about bail, and there will be a form of application to state a case for use in connection with the new Part 64 rules about appeal by case stated. The Lord Chief Justice authorised the withdrawal of the forms currently used in connection with the Part 19 bail rules. The new forms will appear on this website when the new rules come into force.

July 2012

The Criminal Procedure Rules 2012

The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee has made this year’s restatement of the Criminal Procedure Rules. The Rules will come into force on Monday 1st October, 2012. The statutory instrument containing the new Rules.

A guide to the new Rules, based on the Explanatory Memorandum which has been laid before Parliament (PDF)

On 1st October, 2012, when the new Rules come into force, the text of each Part will appear on this website. Until then the existing Criminal Procedure Rules remain in force (the Criminal Procedure Rules 2011, as amended by the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2011).

June 2012

Criminal Procedure Rule Committee appointments

The Lord Chief Justice and the Lord Chancellor have appointed new Committee members in succession to three who will retire from the Committee at the end of August.

The Rt Hon. Lady Justice Rafferty will become a Court of Appeal judge member and deputy chairman in succession to the Rt Hon. Lord Justice Hooper. H.H. Judge Picton will become a Circuit judge member in succession to H.H. Judge Wide QC. Mr David Kenyon will succeed Mr Jeremy Corbett CBE as a voluntary organisation representative, on the nomination of Victim Support.

The Lord Chief Justice has re-appointed to the Committee Sir John Thomas, the President of the Queen’s Bench Division, and the Lord Chancellor has re-appointed four Committee members: Ms Tessa Szagun, the justices’ clerk member; Mr Patrick Gibbs QC, a barrister member; Mr Michael Caplan QC, a solicitor member; and Chief Constable Jim Barker-McCardle, the member representing the Association of Chief Police Officers.

The Criminal Procedure Rule Committee web-page will be brought up to date to record these appointments at the beginning of September, when they take effect.

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  Archive of The Criminal Procedure Rules 2011

  Archive copies of The Criminal Procedure Rules 2011 are available for reference from the National Archives. 

  Archive of The Criminal Procedure Rules 2010

  Archive copies of The Criminal Procedure Rules 2010 are available for reference from the National Archives

  Archive of The Criminal Procedure Rules 2005

  Archive copies of The Criminal Procedure Rules 2005 are available for reference from the National Archives