Appeals to the Supreme Court
Plain-English digest of CPS prosecution guidance.
AI-generated summary — not verbatim. This is a plain-English digest, not the official CPS text. It may omit detail or fall out of date. Do not rely on it for a charging decision — read the full guidance on cps.gov.uk and check the current legislation.
This guidance outlines the procedure and requirements for making appeals to the Supreme Court from the Court of Appeal or the Administrative Court, detailing critical stages such as initial considerations, application processes, handling of cases, and specific sections of relevant legislation. It emphasizes the need for certification of points of law of general public importance and set time limits for applications. The procedural steps involve decisions made by Chief Crown Prosecutors and communication with the Appeals and Review Unit.
Key points
- Appeals can be made from the Court of Appeal or Administrative Court.
- Applications for permission must first be made to the relevant lower court.
- A point of law must be certified to grant permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.
- Strict time limits apply for all appeals and applications.
- The Appeals and Review Unit handles all Supreme Court cases for the CPS.
Public-interest factors
- General public importance of the point of law involved.
- Procedural fairness in appeals.
- Maintaining the integrity of the legal system.
This is a factual digest of guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service. Digested 2026-07-15. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the CPS.