Rules and Practice Directions
On this page, you can –
- read online, or download and save, the latest versions of the Criminal Procedure Rules and Criminal Practice Directions
- read or download the complete Rules and Practice Directions, or read or download separate Parts of the Rules and separate divisions of the Practice Directions. (The complete edition includes content bookmarks and can be searched.)
Rules and Practice Directions contents
- General matters
- Preliminary proceedings
- Custody and bail
- Disclosure
- Evidence
- Trial
- Sentencing
- Confiscation and related proceedings
- Appeal
- Costs
- Other proceedings
- General and listing Practice Directions
- Glossary
- Case management rules extract
For the statutory instruments that contain the Criminal Procedure Rules, see Statutory Instruments.
The Criminal Practice Directions and the Criminal Costs Practice Direction are also published on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary website.
For more information about the Rules and Practice Directions, see Notes.
General matters (including case management)
- Part 1 The overriding objective
- Part 2 Understanding and applying the Rules
- Part 3 Case management
- Part 4 Service of documents
- Part 5 Forms and court records
- Part 6 Reporting, etc. restrictions
- Criminal Practice Directions I: General matters
Preliminary proceedings
- Part 7 Starting a prosecution in a magistrates' court
- Part 8 Initial details of the prosecution case
- Part 9 Allocation and sending for trial
- Part 10 The indictment
- Part 11 Deferred prosecution agreements
- Part 12 Discontinuing a prosecution
- Criminal Practice Directions II: Preliminary proceedings
Custody and bail
- Part 13 Warrants for arrest, detention or imprisonment
- Part 14 Bail and custody time limits
- Criminal Practice Directions III: Custody and bail
Evidence
- Part 16 Written witness statements
- Part 17 Witness summonses, warrants and orders
- Part 18 Measures to assist a witness or defendant to give evidence
- Part 19 Expert evidence
- Part 20 Hearsay evidence
- Part 21 Evidence of bad character
- Part 22 Evidence of a complainant’s previous sexual behaviour
- Part 23 Restriction on cross-examination by a defendant
- Criminal Practice Directions V: Evidence
Trial
- Part 24 Trial and sentence in a magistrates' court
- Part 25 Trial and sentence in the Crown Court
- Part 26 Jurors
- Part 27 Retrial after acquittal
- Criminal Practice Directions VI: Trial
Sentencing
- Part 28 Sentencing procedures in special cases
- Part 29 Road traffic penalties
- Part 30 Enforcement of fines and other orders for payment
- Part 31 Behaviour orders
- Part 32 Breach, revocation and amendment of community and other orders
- Criminal Practice Directions VII: Sentencing
Confiscation and related proceedings
- Part 33 Confiscation and related proceedings
- [There are no Criminal Practice Directions relating to confiscation and related proceedings.]
Appeal
- Part 34 Appeal to the Crown Court
- Part 35 Appeal to the High Court by case stated
- Part 36 Appeal to the Court of Appeal: general rules
- Part 37 Appeal to the Court of Appeal against ruling at preparatory hearing
- Part 38 Appeal to the Court of Appeal against ruling adverse to prosecution
- Part 39 Appeal to the Court of Appeal about conviction or sentence
- Part 40 Appeal to the Court of Appeal about reporting or public access restriction
- Part 41 Reference to the Court of Appeal of point of law or unduly lenient sentencing
- Part 42 Appeal to the Court of Appeal in confiscation and related proceedings
- Part 43 Appeal or reference to the Supreme Court
- Part 44 Request to the European Court for a preliminary ruling
- Criminal Practice Directions IX: Appeal
Other proceedings
- Part 46 Representatives
- Part 47 Investigation orders and warrants
- Part 48 Contempt of court
- Part 49 International co-operation
- Part 50 Extradition
- Criminal Practice Directions XI: Other proceedings
