Section 56 Power to prescribe alternative destination of appeals.

England and Wales

(1)

The Lord Chancellor may by order provide that appeals which would otherwise lie to—

(a)

F1the county court,

F2(aa)

the family court,

(b)

the High Court, or

(c)

the Court of Appeal,

shall lie instead to another of those courts, as specified in the order.

(2)

This section does not apply to an appeal in a criminal cause or matter.

(3)

An order under subsection (1)—

(a)

may make different provision for different classes of proceedings or appeals, and

(b)

may contain consequential amendments or repeals of enactments.

(4)

Before making an order under subsection (1) the Lord Chancellor shall consult—

(a)

the Lord Chief Justice,

(b)

the Master of the Rolls,

F3(c)

the President of the Queen's Bench Division,

(d)

the President of the Family Division, and

(e)

the F4President of the Business and Property Division.

(5)

An order under subsection (1) shall be made by statutory instrument.

(6)

No such order may be made unless a draft of it has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.

(7)

For the purposes of this section an application to have a case stated for the opinion of the High Court constitutes an appeal.

F5(8)

The Lord Chief Justice may nominate a judicial office holder (as defined in section 109(4) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005) to exercise his functions under this section.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Words in ss. 54-57 substituted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 52; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)
F2: S. 56(1)(aa) inserted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 10 para. 81; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(d) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)
F3: S. 56(4)(c)-(e) substituted (1.10.2005) for s. 56(4)(c)(d) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(1), 148, Sch. 4 para. 280(2); S.I. 2005/2505, art. 2(c)
F4: Words in s. 56(4)(e) substituted (1.10.2026) by The Senior Courts (Transfer, Amendment and Consequential Provision) Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/723), art. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 20
F5: S. 56(8) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(1), 148, Sch. 4 para. 280(3); S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 11(w)