Guidance

Guidance about criminal procedure

This guidance is to help people taking part in a criminal case to understand the procedure.

• From: Criminal Procedure Rule Committee
• Published: 12 August 2026

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

What happens when you are charged with a criminal offence?

PDF, 200 KB, 6 pages

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Guidance for a defendant who has no legal representative

PDF, 676 KB, 14 pages

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Details

Defendants who come to court without a lawyer are known as ‘unrepresented defendants’ or ‘litigants-in-person’. There are special rules called the Criminal Procedure Rules, that control what happens in court. This guide explains the most common rules that may apply to you. It also explains what the effect may be of certain decisions that you will need to make.

Related HM Courts and Tribunals Service guidance

• Guidance for victims and witnesses
• Guidance for defendants
• Guidance about criminal courts

Published 12 August 2026