Criminal Appeal Act 1968

The appeal E+W

33 Right of appeal to [F1 Supreme Court] . E+W

(1) An appeal lies to the [F2 Supreme Court], at the instance of the defendant or the prosecutor, from any decision of the Court of Appeal on an appeal to that court under Part I of this Act [F3 or Part 9 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003] [F4 or section 9 (preparatory hearings) of the Criminal Justice Act 1987] [F5 or section 35 of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996] [F6 or section 47 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003].

F7 (1A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F8 (1B) An appeal lies to the [F9 Supreme Court], at the instance of the acquitted person or the prosecutor, from any decision of the Court of Appeal on an application under section 76(1) or (2) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (retrial for serious offences).]

(2) The appeal lies only with the leave of the Court of Appeal or [F10 the Supreme Court]; and leave shall not be granted unless it is certified by the Court of Appeal that a point of law of general public importance is involved in the decision and it appears to the Court of Appeal or [F10 the Supreme Court] (as the case may be) that the point is one which ought to be considered by [F10 the Supreme Court].

[F11 (3) Except as provided by this Part of this Act and section 13 of the Administration of Justice Act 1960 (appeal in cases of contempt of court), no appeal shall lie from any decision of the criminal division of the Court of Appeal.]

[F12 (4) In relation to an appeal under subsection (1B), references in this Part to a defendant are references to the acquitted person.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 33(1) and sidenote substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 9 para. 16(3)(a); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)

F2 Words in s. 33(1) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 9 para. 16(3)(a); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)

F3 Words in s. 33(1) inserted (4.4.2005) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 68(1), 336(3), (4); S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 4 (with Sch. 2) (as explained (29.7.2005) by S.I. 2005/2122, art. 2; and as amended: (14.7.2008) by 2008 c. 4, Sch. 26 para. 78, Sch. 28 Pt. 2; S.I. 2008/1586, Sch. 1 paras. 48(s), 50(2)(d); (30.11.2009) by S.I. 2009/3111, art. 2; (3.12.2012) by S.I. 2012/2905, art. 4; (3.12.2012) by 2012 c. 10, Sch. 14 para. 17; S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(l))

F4 Words added by Criminal Justice Act 1987 (c. 38, SIF 39:1), s. 15, Sch. 2 para. 3

F5 Words in s. 33(1) inserted (4.7.1996 but with effect on 15.4.1997 as mentioned in s. 28) by 1996 c. 25, ss. 28, 36 (with s. 76(1)); S.I. 1997/1019, art. 4

F6 Words in s. 33(1) inserted (24.7.2006) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 47(6), 336(3)(4) (with s. 48(4)); S.I. 2006/1835, art. 2(e)

F7 S. 33(1A) repealed (1.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), s. 94(1), Sch. 8 para. 144, Sch. 14; S.I. 2008/755, art. 2(1)(a)(d) (with arts. 3-14)

F8 S. 33(1B) inserted (4.4.2005) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 81(2), 336(3)(4); S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 5 (with Sch. 2) (as explained (29.7.2005) by S.I. 2005/2122, art. 2; and as amended: (14.7.2008) by 2008 c. 4, Sch. 26 para. 78, Sch. 28 Pt. 2; S.I. 2008/1586, Sch. 1 paras. 48(s), 50(2)(d); (30.11.2009) by S.I. 2009/3111, art. 2; (3.12.2012) by S.I. 2012/2905, art. 4; (3.12.2012) by 2012 c. 10, Sch. 14 para. 17; S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(l))

F9 Words in s. 33(1B) substituted (1.10.2009) by virtue of Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 9 para. 82(4); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)

F10 Words in s. 33(2) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 9 para. 16(3)(b); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)

F11 S. 33(3) inserted by Supreme Court Act 1981 (c. 54, SIF 37), Sch. 5 para. 1

F12 S. 33(4) inserted (4.4.2005) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 81(3), 336(3)(4); S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 5 (with Sch. 2) (as explained (29.7.2005) by S.I. 2005/2122, art. 2; and as amended: (14.7.2008) by 2008 c. 4, Sch. 26 para. 78, Sch. 28 Pt. 2; S.I. 2008/1586, Sch. 1 paras. 48(s), 50(2)(d); (30.11.2009) by S.I. 2009/3111, art. 2; (3.12.2012) by S.I. 2012/2905, art. 4; (3.12.2012) by 2012 c. 10, Sch. 14 para. 17; S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(l))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 33(3) restricted (30.12.2002 for certain purposes, 24.3.2003 otherwise) by Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (c. 29), ss. 90(1), 458(1); S.I. 2002/3015, art. 2, Sch.; S.I. 2003/333, art. 2, Sch.

C2 S. 33(3) restricted (18.12.2003) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), s. 336(2), Sch. 22 para. 14(4)

C3 S. 33(3) restricted (18.12.2003) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 274(6), 336(2)

C4 S. 33(3) restricted (31.12.2005) by The Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 (Enforcement of Overseas Forfeiture Orders) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3180), arts. 1(1), 34(1)

C5 S. 33(3) restricted (1.1.2006) by The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (External Requests and Orders) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3181), arts. 1, 48(1)

C6 S. 33(3) restricted (1.4.2006) by Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15), ss. 74(9), 178(8); S.I. 2006/378, art. 5(1) (with art. 5(2))

C7 S. 33(3) restricted (6.4.2008) by Serious Crime Act 2007 (c. 27), ss. 24(12), 94(1); S.I. 2008/755, art. 15(1)(e) (with art. 15(2)(3))

C8 S. 33(3) excluded (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), ss. 389(2), 416(1) (with ss. 2, 398(1), 406, Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2

34 Application for leave to appeal. E+W

(1) An application to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal to the [F13 Supreme Court] shall be made within the period of [F14 28] days beginning with the [F15 relevant date]; and an application to the [F13 Supreme Court] for leave shall be made within the period of [F16 28] days beginning with the date on which the application for leave is refused by the Court of Appeal.

[F17 (1A) In subsection (1), “the relevant date” means—

(a) the date of the Court of Appeal’s decision, or

(b) if later, the date on which the [F18 Court of Appeal] gives reasons for its decision.]

(2) The [F13 Supreme Court] or the Court of Appeal may, upon application made at any time by the defendant [F19 or, in the case of an appeal under section 33(1B), by the prosecutor], extend the time within which an application may be made by him to [F20 the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeal] under subsection (1) above.

(3) An appeal to the [F13 Supreme Court] shall be treated as pending until any application for leave to appeal is disposed of and, if leave to appeal is granted, until the appeal is disposed of; and for purposes of this Part of this Act an application for leave to appeal shall be treated as disposed of at the expiration of the time within which it may be made, if it is not made within that time.

Textual Amendments

F13 Words in s. 34 substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 9 para. 16(4)(a); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)

F14 Words in s. 34(1) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 88(4)(5)(a), 110(1); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(v)

F15 Words in s. 34(1) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 88(4)(5)(b), 110(1); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(v)

F16 Words in s. 34(1) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss.88(4)(5)(b), 110(1); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(v)

F17 S. 34(1A) inserted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 88(6), 110(1); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(v)

F18 Words in s. 34(1A)(b) substituted (1.10.2009) by virtue of Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 9 para. 80(2)(c); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)

F19 Words in s. 34(2) inserted (4.4.2005) by Criminal Justice Act 2003 (c. 44), ss. 81(4), 336(3)(4); S.I. 2005/950, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 5 (with Sch. 2) (as explained (29.7.2005) by S.I. 2005/2122, art. 2; and as amended: (14.7.2008) by 2008 c. 4, Sch. 26 para. 78, Sch. 28 Pt. 2; S.I. 2008/1586, Sch. 1 paras. 48(s), 50(2)(d); (30.11.2009) by S.I. 2009/3111, art. 2; (3.12.2012) by S.I. 2012/2905, art. 4; (3.12.2012) by 2012 c. 10, Sch. 14 para. 17; S.I. 2012/2906, art. 2(l))

F20 Words in s. 34(2) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 9 para. 16(4)(c); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)

35 Hearing and disposal of appeal. E+W

F21 (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F21 (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3) For the purpose of disposing of an appeal, the [F22 Supreme Court] may exercise any powers of the Court of Appeal or may remit the case to the Court.

Textual Amendments

F21 S. 35(1)(2) repealed (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 9 para. 16(5)(a), Sch. 18 Pt. 5; S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)(f)

F22 Words in s. 35(3) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 9 para. 16(5)(b); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)