Electronic Filing

The following guidelines set out the procedure for filing process in the Court of Appeal Civil Division by email in accordance with paragraph 15.1.A(2) of the Practice Direction to Part 52 of the Civil Procedure Rules.

Where the matter is urgent the party applying to file process should do so as early as possible during the course of the day and should telephone the Registry of the Civil Appeals Office to inform them. The telephone number is 020 7947 6409.

The receipt of these documents does not necessarily signify either (a) that the Court accepts jurisdiction or (b) that the documents necessarily comply with the Court's requirements.

You will be informed of any defects found but it remains your responsibility, and not that of the Civil Appeals Office, to ensure any documents filed are in order and comply with prescribed time limits.

Guidelines

Guidelines for filing Appellants' Notices, Respondents' Notices and Application Notices by e-mail

1. These are the guidelines referred to in paragraph 15.1A(2) of the Practice Direction to Part 52 of the Civil Procedure Rules.

2. This service is only available to a party who is represented by a firm of solicitors.

3. A party seeking to file an Appellant's Notice, a Respondent's Notice or an Application Notice (severally, a "Notice") by e-mail may do so (subject to the limitations contained in these guidelines) by e-mailing the documents to the Civil Appeals Office registry, using this address:

civilappeals.registry@hmcourts-service.gsi.gov.uk.

The inbox for this address will be checked twice daily. E-mails received before 10:00 am will not be dealt with until the Civil Appeals Office registry opens for business that day. E-mails received after 4:30 pm will not be dealt with until the next working day.

4. Where a party files a Notice by e-mail the e-mail must contain:

(a) the sender's name, together with confirmation that the sender is authorised to give undertakings on behalf of the firm of solicitors concerned; and

(b) an undertaking by the firm of solicitors representing that party to pay the requisite fee as soon as practicable, and in any event no later than 7 days from the date on which the email is sent.

Failure to comply with the undertaking will render the application liable to automatic dismissal. The Court may also direct that a breach of undertaking be reported to the Law Society.

5. A Notice filed by e-mail will not be accepted if:

(a) the requirements set out in paragraphs 2 to 4 above are not complied with;

(b) any attachment is in a format other than Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf); or

(c) the document exceeds 20 pages in length, 2 megabytes in file size or contains material colour content.

6. A Notice filed by e-mail:

(a) will be accepted as having been filed on the date of receipt if it is received  by 4:30 pm;

(b) will be treated as having been filed on the next working day if received after 4:30 pm.

7. E-mail correspondence will not be given priority over postal or fax receipts.