Appeal a magistrates’ court decision
If you did not know about your case
If you did not know about your case, you can ask the court to reopen it.
You must do all of the following:
- apply to the court
- make a legal statement known as a ‘statutory declaration’
- attend a court hearing
Applying to the court
You must apply online.
You’ll need to provide details of where and when your hearing was held and how you heard about your court case.
Making a legal statement
You’ll need to make a legal statement saying that you did not get a notice telling you about the charges.
You can either make the legal statement:
- before the court hearing with a legal representative such as a solicitor - you’ll have to pay to do this
- at the court hearing - this is free
If you knew about your case but did not know there was a hearing, you may not need to make a legal statement. You can ask the court to reopen your case because the court did not have all the information.
After you’ve applied
If the court accepts your legal statement they will reopen your case.
You can still be guilty of the offence, even if you did not know about your case.
If your case is reopened and you’re found guilty, the outcome might be different. For example, your fine or the number of points on your driving licence could increase.