Court of Appeal

The highest court of the Senior Courts of England and Wales. The Court of Appeal only adjudicates cases that have been appealed by other courts beforehand. It is separated into two distinct divisions, civil and criminal, and its base is at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. There are several judges associated with the Court of Appeal. This includes the President of the Queen’s Bench Division, the Lord Chief Justice, the President of the Family Division, the Chancellor of the High Court, the Master of the Rolls, and the Lord or Lady Justices. At present, there are 38 Justices appointed. The Court of Appeal was first established in 1875. The criminal division adjudicates appeals relating to criminal convictions and sentences. The civil division presides over family cases in addition to a large number of civil appeals. Despite its extensive history, the Court of Appeal was not one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales until the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Since 2013, cases have been broadcast and uploaded in the pursuit of transparency and providing the wider public with a greater understanding of the court process.