Criminal legal aid and a Crown appeal: is a separate legal aid application required?

We need to be satisfied that:

  • The appeal relates to a distinct matter.
  • That a separate legal aid application is appropriate in the circumstances of the case.

You should make a separate legal aid application if your client:

  • Has been acquitted or convicted.
  • There has been a final disposal.

If the proceedings are ongoing, any Crown appeal will be covered under the original legal aid certificate.

If we are satisfied that a separate application is required, all applications to represent a client at a Crown appeal should be granted without scrutiny of the merits of the appeal provided the client is financially eligible.

Review of our refusal to grant legal aid for a criminal appeal
Availability of legal aid and tests you should address in an application for legal aid for an appeal to the UK Supreme Court

In this section

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

General availability of criminal legal aid for appeals and status as distinct proceedings

Find out when and how to apply for criminal legal aid for an appeal.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Choosing the right legal aid declaration form for criminal appeals

Find out which declaration form to use for criminal appeals depending on whether or not your client was in receipt of legal aid for the original proceedings.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Supporting documentation you should provide in a legal aid application for a criminal appeal

Read a summary of what supporting documentation is needed for an application for criminal legal aid for an appeal.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Availability of special urgency for criminal appeals

Learn about how to apply for and use special urgency in criminal appeals.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Appeal applications where financial eligibility test to be applied and information on assessing a client’s disposable income

Find out what information we need on your client’s income and how we apply the financial test on disposable income.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Information on assessing a client’s disposable capital where financial test to be applied in a criminal appeal application

Find out what information we need on your client’s capital and how we apply the financial test.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Availability of legal aid in appeals for a client with other rights or facilities to assist with legal costs

Learn if you can apply for legal aid in a criminal appeal if your client has other sources of funding to cover your fees.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Timing issues: when to apply for legal aid for a criminal appeal

Find out when to apply for legal aid in a criminal appeal, Regulation 15 and what to do if leave to appeal is required from the court.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Criminal legal aid for late appeals

Learn how to apply for a late appeal and how advice and assistance can be used to cover the early stages of this work.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Legal aid application for an appeal where leave to appeal is not required

Learn about the process for making an application for legal aid for an appeal other than under sections 106(1) or 175(2) and the interests of justice test to be

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Review of our refusal to grant legal aid for a criminal appeal

Find out whether you can review our refusal of legal aid for an appeal.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Availability of legal aid and tests you should address in an application for legal aid for an appeal to the UK Supreme Court

Find out how to apply for criminal legal aid for an appeal to the UK Supreme Court and what tests apply we must apply.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Power of the High Court to determine interests of justice test in appeal applications

Learn about the power the High Court has to overturn our decision to refuse a legal aid application for an appeal based on the interests of justice test.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Legal aid for an appeal by a person convicted of an offence who has since died Criminal legal aid for appeals in Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission cases

Find out how legal aid can be made available where the client dies.

Criminal legal aid applications for appeals

Criminal legal aid for appeals in Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission cases

Find out whether you can review our refusal of legal aid for an appeal.