Part 65 Appeal to the Court of Appeal: general rules

Contents of this Part
Title	Number
When this Part applies	Rule 65.1
Case management in the Court of Appeal	Rule 65.2
Power to vary requirements	Rule 65.3
Application for extension of time	Rule 65.4
Renewing an application refused by a judge or the Registrar	Rule 65.5
Hearings	Rule 65.6
Notice of hearings and decisions	Rule 65.7
Duty of Crown Court officer	Rule 65.8
Duty of person transcribing proceedings in the Crown Court	Rule 65.9
Duty of person keeping exhibit	Rule 65.10
Registrar’s duty to provide copy documents for appeal or reference	Rule 65.11
Declaration of incompatibility with a Convention right	Rule 65.12
Abandoning an appeal	Rule 65.13
Abandoning a ground of appeal or opposition	Rule 65.14

When this Part applies

65.1

(1) This Part applies to all the applications, appeals and references to the Court of Appeal to which Parts 66, 67, 68, 69 , 70 and 74 apply.

(2) In this Part and in those, unless the context makes it clear that something different is meant –

“court” means the Court of Appeal or any judge of that court;

“Registrar” means the Registrar of Criminal Appeals or a court officer acting with the Registrar’s authority.

[Note. See rule 2.2 for the usual meaning of “court”.

Under section 53 of the Supreme Court Act 1981¹ the criminal division of the Court of Appeal exercises jurisdiction in the appeals and references to which Parts 66, 67, 68, 69 and 70 apply. Under section 55 of that Act² the Court of Appeal must include at least two judges, and for some purposes at least three. For the powers of the Court of Appeal that may be exercised by one judge of that court or by the Registrar, see sections 31³, 31A⁴, 31B⁵, 31C and 44⁶ of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968; section 49 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003⁷; the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Mandatory Life Sentences: Appeals in Transitional Cases) Order 2005⁸; the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Appeals under section 74) Order 2006⁹; The Serious Crime Act 2007 (Appeals under Section 24) Order 2008¹⁰ and the power conferred by section 53(4) of the 1981 Act.]

Case management in the Court of Appeal

65.2

(1) The court and the parties have the same duties and powers as under Part 3 (case management).

(2) The Registrar –

(a) must fulfil the duty of active case management under rule 3.2; and

(b) in fulfilling that duty may exercise any of the powers of case management under –

(i) rule 3.5 (the court’s general powers of case management),

(ii) rule 3.9(3) (requiring a certificate of readiness), and

(iii) rule 3.10 (requiring a party to identify intentions and anticipated requirements)

subject to the directions of the court.

(3) The Registrar must nominate a case progression officer under rule 3.4.

Power to vary requirements

65.3

The court or the Registrar may –

(a) shorten a time limit or extend it (even after it has expired) unless that is inconsistent with other legislation;

(b) allow a party to vary any notice that that party has served;

(d) allow a notice or application to be in a different form, or presented orally.

[Note. The time limit for serving an appeal notice –

under section 18 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968¹¹on an appeal against conviction or sentence, and
under section 18A of that Act¹² on an appeal against a finding of contempt of court

may be extended but not shortened: see rule 68.2.

The time limit for serving an application for permission to refer a sentencing case under section 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988¹³may be neither extended nor shortened: see rule 70.2(2).

The time limits in rule 74.2 for applying to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal or refer a case to the House of Lords may be extended or shortened only as explained in the note to that rule.]

Application for extension of time

65.4

A person who wants an extension of time within which to serve a notice or make an application must –

(a) apply for that extension of time when serving that notice or making that application; and

(b) give the reasons for the application for an extension of time.

Renewing an application refused by a judge or the Registrar

65.5

(1) This rule applies where a party with the right to do so wants to renew –

(a) to a judge of the Court of Appeal an application refused by the Registrar; or

(b) to the Court of Appeal an application refused by a judge of that court.

(2) That party must –

(a) renew the application in the form set out in the Practice Direction, signed by or on behalf of the applicant;

(b) serve the renewed application on the Registrar not more than 14 days after –

(i) the refusal of the application that the applicant wants to renew; or

(ii) the Registrar serves that refusal on the applicant, if the applicant was not present in person or by live link when the original application was refused.

[Note. The time limit of 14 days under this rule is reduced to 5 days where Parts 66, 67 or 69 apply: see rules 66.7, 67.10 and 69.7.

For the right to renew an application to a judge or to the Court of Appeal, see sections 31(3) , 31C and 44 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968, The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Mandatory Life Sentences: Appeals in Transitional Cases) Order 2005¹⁴, The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Appeals under section 74) Order 2006¹⁵ and The Serious Crime Act 2007 (Appeals under Section 24) Order 2008.

A party has no right under section 31C of the 1968 Act¹⁶ to renew to the Court of Appeal an application for procedural directions refused by a judge, but in some circumstances a case management direction may be varied: see rule 3.6.

If an applicant does not renew an application that a judge has refused, including an application for permission to appeal, the Registrar will treat it as if it had been refused by the Court of Appeal.

Under section 22 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968¹⁷ the Court of Appeal may direct that an appellant who is in custody is to attend a hearing by live link.]

Hearings

65.6

(1) The general rule is that the Court of Appeal must hear in public –

(a) an application, including an application for permission to appeal; and

(b) an appeal or reference,

but it may order any hearing to be in private.

(2) Where a hearing is about a public interest ruling that hearing must be in private unless the court otherwise directs.

(3) Where the appellant wants to appeal against an order restricting public access to a trial the court must decide without a hearing –

(a) an application, including an application for permission to appeal; and

(b) an appeal.

(4) Where the appellant wants to appeal or to refer a case to the House of Lords the court –

(a) may decide without a hearing an application –

(i) for permission to appeal or to refer a sentencing case, or

(ii) to refer a point of law; but

(b) must announce its decision on such an application at a hearing in public.

(5) A judge of the Court of Appeal and the Registrar may exercise any of their powers –

(a) at a hearing in public or in private; or

(b) without a hearing.

[Note. For the procedure on an appeal against an order restricting public access to a trial, see Part 69.]

Notice of hearings and decisions

65.7

(1) The Registrar must give as much notice as reasonably practicable of every hearing to –

(a) the parties;

(b) any party’s custodian;

(d) the Crown Court officer, where Parts 66, 67 or 69 apply.

(2) The Registrar must serve every decision on –

(a) the parties;

(b) any other person whom the court requires to be served; and

(c) the Crown Court officer and any party’s custodian, where the decision determines an appeal or application for permission to appeal.

(3) But where a hearing or decision is about a public interest ruling, the Registrar must not –

(a) give notice of that hearing to; or

(b) serve that decision on,

anyone other than the prosecutor who applied for that ruling, unless the court otherwise directs.

Duty of Crown Court officer

65.8

(1) The Crown Court officer must provide the Registrar with any document, object or information for which the Registrar asks within such period as the Registrar may require.

(2) Unless the Crown Court otherwise directs, where someone may appeal to the Court of Appeal the Crown Court officer must –

(a) arrange for the recording of the proceedings in the Crown Court;

(b) arrange for the transcription of such a recording if –

(i) the Registrar wants such a transcript, or

(ii) anyone else wants such a transcript (but that is subject to the restrictions in rule 65.9(2)); and

(c) arrange for any document or object exhibited in the proceedings in the Crown Court to be kept there, or kept by some other appropriate person, until 6 weeks after the conclusion of those proceedings.

(3) Where Part 66 applies (appeal to the Court of Appeal against ruling at preparatory hearing), the Crown Court officer must as soon as practicable serve on the appellant a transcript or note of –

(a) each order or ruling against which the appellant wants to appeal; and

(b) the decision by the Crown Court judge on any application for permission to appeal.

(4) Where Part 67 applies (appeal to the Court of Appeal against ruling adverse to prosecution), the Crown Court officer must as soon as practicable serve on the appellant a transcript or note of –

(a) each ruling against which the appellant wants to appeal;

(b) the decision by the Crown Court judge on any application for permission to appeal; and

(5) Where Part 68 applies (appeal to the Court of Appeal about conviction or sentence), the Crown Court officer must as soon as practicable serve on the Registrar –

(a) the appeal notice and any accompanying application that the appellant serves on the Crown Court officer;

(b) any Crown Court judge’s certificate that the case is fit for appeal;

(d) such of the Crown Court case papers as the Registrar requires; and

(e) such transcript of the Crown Court proceedings as the Registrar requires.

(6) Where Part 69 applies (appeal to the Court of Appeal regarding reporting or public access) and an order is made restricting public access to a trial, the Crown Court officer must –

(a) immediately notify the Registrar of that order, if the appellant has given advance notice of intention to appeal; and

(b) as soon as practicable provide the applicant for that order with a transcript or note of the application.

[Note. See also rules 65.9 (duty of person transcribing record of proceedings in the Crown Court) and 65.10 (duty of person keeping exhibit).]

Duty of person transcribing proceedings in the Crown Court

65.9

(1) A person who transcribes a recording of proceedings in the Crown Court under arrangements made by the Crown Court officer must provide the Registrar with any transcript for which the Registrar asks within such period as the Registrar may require.

(2) Unless the Crown Court otherwise directs, such a person –

(a) must not provide anyone else with a transcript of a public interest ruling or of an application for such a ruling;

(b) subject to that, must provide anyone else with any transcript for which that person asks –

(i) in accordance with the transcription arrangements made by the Crown Court officer, and

(ii) on payment by that person of any charge fixed by the Treasury.

[Note. Section 32 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 deals with the recording of proceedings in the Crown Court, the transcription of such a recording and the charge for providing such a transcript. See also rule 65.8(2) (duty of Crown Court officer).]

Duty of person keeping exhibit

65.10

A person who under arrangements made by the Crown Court officer keeps a document or object exhibited in the proceedings in the Crown Court must –

(a) keep that exhibit until –

(i) 6 weeks after the conclusion of the Crown Court proceedings, or

(ii) the conclusion of any appeal proceedings that begin within that 6 weeks,

unless the court, the Registrar or the Crown Court otherwise directs; and

(b) provide the Registrar with any such document or object for which the Registrar asks within such period as the Registrar may require.

[Note. See also rule 65.8(2) (duty of Crown Court officer).]

Registrar’s duty to provide copy documents for appeal or reference

65.11

Unless the court otherwise directs, for the purposes of an appeal or reference –

(a) the Registrar must –

(i) provide a party with a copy of any document or transcript held by the Registrar for such purposes, or

(ii) allow a party to inspect such a document or transcript,

on payment by that party of any charge fixed by the Treasury; but

(b) the Registrar must not provide a copy or allow the inspection of –

(i) a document provided only for the court and the Registrar, or

(ii) a transcript of a public interest ruling or of an application for such a ruling.

[Note. Section 21 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 requires the Registrar to collect, prepare and provide documents needed by the court.]

Declaration of incompatibility with a Convention right

65.12

(1) This rule applies where a party –

(a) wants the court to make a declaration of incompatibility with a Convention right under section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998¹⁸; or

(b) raises an issue that the Registrar thinks may lead the court to make such a declaration.

(2) The Registrar must serve notice on –

(a) the relevant person named in the list published under section 17(1) of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947¹⁹; or

(b) the Treasury Solicitor, if it is not clear who is the relevant person.

(3) That notice must include or attach details of –

(a) the legislation affected and the Convention right concerned;

(b) the parties to the appeal; and

(4) A person who has a right under the 1998 Act to become a party to the appeal must –

(a) serve notice on –

(i) the Registrar, and

(ii) the other parties,

if that person wants to exercise that right; and

(b) in that notice –

(i) indicate the conclusion that that person invites the court to reach on the question of incompatibility, and

(ii) identify each ground for that invitation, concisely outlining the arguments in support.

(5) The court must not make a declaration of incompatibility –

(a) less than 21 days after the Registrar serves notice under paragraph (2); and

(b) without giving any person who serves a notice under paragraph (4) an opportunity to make representations at a hearing.

Abandoning an appeal

65.13

(1) This rule applies where an appellant wants to –

(a) abandon –

(i) an application to the court for permission to appeal, or

(ii) an appeal; or

(b) reinstate such an application or appeal after abandoning it.

(2) The appellant –

(a) may abandon such an application or appeal without the court's permission by serving a notice of abandonment on –

(i) the Registrar, and

(ii) any respondent

before any hearing of the application or appeal; but

(b) at any such hearing, may only abandon that application or appeal with the court's permission.

(3) A notice of abandonment must be in the form set out in the Practice Direction, signed by or on behalf of the appellant.

(4) On receiving a notice of abandonment the Registrar must –

(a) date it;

(b) serve a dated copy on –

(i) the appellant,

(ii) the appellant’s custodian, if any,

(iii) the Crown Court officer, and

(iv) any other person on whom the appellant or the Registrar served the appeal notice; and

(5) An appellant who wants to reinstate an application or appeal after abandoning it must –

(a) apply in writing, with reasons; and

(b) serve the application on the Registrar.

[Note. The Court of Appeal has power only in exceptional circumstances to allow an appellant to reinstate an application or appeal that has been abandoned.]

Abandoning a ground of appeal or opposition

65.14

(1) This rule applies where a party wants to abandon –

(a) a ground of appeal identified in an appeal notice; or

(b) a ground of opposition identified in a respondent's notice.

(2) Such a party must give written notice to –

(a) the Registrar; and

(b) every other party,

before any hearing at which that ground will be considered by the court.

Footnotes

1. 1981 c. 54.

2. 1981 c. 54; section 55 was amended by section 170 of, and paragraph 80 of Schedule 15 to, the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33), section 52 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (c. 33) and section 58 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28). It is further amended by section 40 of, and paragraph 36 of Schedule 9 to, the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), with effect from a date to be appointed.

3. 1968 c. 19; section 31 was amended by section 21 of, and Schedule 2 to, the Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1973 (c. 14), section 24 of, and paragraph 10 of Schedule 6 to, the Road Traffic Act 1974 (c. 50), section 29 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48), section 170 of, and paragraphs 20, 29 and 30 of Schedule 15 to, the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33), section 4 of, and paragraph 4 of Schedule 3 to, the Road Traffic (Consequential Provisions) Act 1988 (c. 54), section 198 of, and paragraphs 38 and 40 of Schedule 6 to, the Licensing Act 2003 (c. 17), section 87 of the Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), section 331 of, and paragraphs 86, 87 and 88 of Schedule 36 to, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44) and section 48 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48). It is further amended by section 67 of, and paragraph 4 of Schedule 4 to, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (c. 23), with effect from dates to be appointed.

4. 1968 c. 19; section 31A was inserted by section 6 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995 (c. 35) and amended by sections 87 and 109 of, and Schedule 10 to, the Courts Act 2003 (c. 39) and section 331 of, and paragraphs 86 and 88 of Schedule 36 to, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44).

5. 1968 c. 19; section 31B was inserted by section 87 of the Courts Act 2003 (c. 39).

6. 1968 c. 19; section 31C was inserted by section 87 of the Courts Act 2003 (c. 39).

7. 2003 c. 44.

8. S.I. 2005/2798.

9. S.I. 2006/2135.

10. S.I. 2008/1863.

11. 1968 c. 19.

12. 1968 c. 19; section 18A was inserted by section 170 of, and paragraphs 20 and 25 of Schedule 15 to, the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (c. 33).

13. 1988 c. 33; section 36 was amended by sections 272, 304 and 331 of, and paragraphs 45 and 46 of Schedule 32 and paragraph 96 of Schedule 36 to, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44) and sections 49 and 65 of, and paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 and Schedule 5 to, the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (c. 38). It is further amended by section 40 of, and paragraph 48 of Schedule 9 to, the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), with effect from a date to be appointed.

14. S.I. 2005/2798.

15. S.I. 2006/2135.

16. 1968 c. 19; section 31C was inserted by section 87 of the Courts Act 2003 (c. 39) and it is to be amended by sections 47 and 149 of, and paragraph 12 of Schedule 8 and paragraphs 1 and 12 of Schedule 23 to, the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4), from a date to be appointed.

17. 1968 c. 19; section 22 was amended by section 48 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48).

18. 1998 c. 42; section 4 is amended by section 40 of, and paragraph 66 of Schedule 9 to, the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), section 67 of, and paragraph 43 of Schedule 6 to, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (c. 9) and section 378 of, and paragraph 156 of Schedule 16 to, the Armed Forces Act 2006 (c. 52), with effect from dates to be appointed.

19. 1947 c. 44; section 17 was amended by article 3(2) of the Minister for the Civil Service Order 1968, S.I. 1968/1656.

Criminal Procedure Rules