Applications to the CCRC are made after all other avenues have been explored.
There have to be ‘exceptional circumstances’ to apply to us without having previously directly applied to the courts. Exceptional circumstances are rare. You should appeal directly first, and have lost that appeal, before coming to the CCRC.
Before you apply, we strongly recommend that you read about the CCRC’s application process. This will help you to understand how we work and how to make the best application possible.
Can I apply?
Anyone can apply if they believe they have been wrongly convicted of a criminal offence or wrongly sentenced in a criminal court in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, and they have lost their first time appeal
You can ask us to look at your conviction, or your sentence, or both. It is a free service and costs nothing to apply.
When should I apply to the CCRC?
- You should apply to the CCRC after you have tried to appeal through the courts in the usual way
- Appeals can be submitted even if you think you’ve missed the deadline
- If you already lost your appeal but you still think you have been wrongly convicted or sentenced, you should apply to us for a case review
What if I have not appealed?
- You should have appealed through the courts first in the usual way. If you have not, we will usually write to explain that you need to go back and try to appeal
- It is exceptionally rare that the CCRC can look at a case before an applicant has tried to appeal directly to the courts
What is an ‘exceptional circumstance’?
- Exceptional circumstances are very rare
- If you are entitled to a direct appeal, you should do so before applying to the CCRC
What are not exceptional circumstances?
- You forgot to appeal or have missed the deadline. In those situations, you can still ask the court for an appeal (“appealing out of time”)
- You received advice from your solicitor or barrister that you have no grounds for appeal. This does not stop you from appealing
- You have been unable to get a solicitor or barrister to help you appeal. You can apply for an appeal yourself without legal assistance
Where can I find out more about appealing?
- if you were convicted in a Crown Court useful information about appealing can be found in a booklet called ‘Appealing a conviction or sentence to the Court of Appeal – help for applicants’. Copies of this should be in prison libraries.
- You can find out more by downloading a booklet and the forms you need. You can get a paper copy of the booklet and forms by calling
- Find out more information about appealing in relation to magistrates’ court cases.
Before applying, please remember…
- You must have been convicted in a criminal court in England, Wales or Northern Ireland
- You should have tried to appeal directly to the appellate courts before applying to the CCRC
- There must be new evidence or a new legal argument not already heard by the court
- You can ask us to look at your conviction, your sentence, or both
- This is your chance to tell us everything you think is wrong with your conviction or sentence
- Someone else can apply for you. If so, we will contact you to check that you want us to investigate your case