1. Directions list
The Directions List is held every Friday in Court 1, Court of Appeal. It is a brief hearing before a judge sitting alone to fix the date for the hearing of the appeal and give directions in respect of other matters including the submissions by the parties. The court can also hear applications for transcripts of judgments from the Digital Audio Recording at this hearing in cases where there was no written judgment in the High Court.
2. Motions
Motions are heard every Friday after the Directions List by one judge and a decision is usually given on the day. The judge may decide to refer a motion for hearing by three judges (a ‘full court’) on a Monday. This will always be the case where the motion concerned is for an extension of time to appeal where the application is opposed by the respondent.
3. Callover
The Callover, for cases listed for hearing in the following 2-3 weeks, takes place every Friday before the judge taking the Directions List. At the Callover the judge will check that the directions of the court have been complied with, if the books of appeal have been lodged and if the case is ready to proceed as scheduled.
4. Hearing of the appeal
The court hears appeals every day during the court term. Each appeal is heard by three judges. They read the papers and submissions in advance of the hearing. The parties then make oral submissions to the court by reference to those papers and submissions.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the judges will either deliver judgment the same day (known as an ‘ex tempore’ judgment) or deliver judgment at a later date (known as a ‘reserved judgment’). The Court of Appeal Office will notify the parties in due course of the date the judges will deliver judgment if the judgment is reserved.