Lord Justice of Appeal

A Lord Justice of Appeal is an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice and the Crown Court, and represents the second highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales.

Appointment

The number of Lord Justices of Appeal was fixed at five by the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1881, but has since been increased. Lord Justices of Appeal are selected from the ranks of senior judges, in practice High Court judges with lengthy experience, appointed by the Monarch on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Jurisdiction

Applications for permission to appeal a ruling of an inferior court (usually from the Crown Court in criminal matters and the High Court of Justice in civil matters but in some instances from a County Court) are heard by a single Lord Justice of Appeal. A full appeal is heard by three Lord Justices of Appeal in the Civil Division. In the Criminal Division, a single Lord Justice of Appeal hears appeals against conviction with two other judges of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division (typically, two High Court judges, or one High Court judge and one senior circuit judge). Appeals against sentence may be heard by a single Lord Justice of Appeal with another judge, or by two High Court judges.