The new Supreme Court and Privy Council Rules came into force on 2 December 2024.

We have previously commented on the Supreme Court’s new rules here. Among other things, changes have been made to the procedure for lodging an appeal to the Court, meaning that the 28-day time limit for filing an application for permission to appeal will now run from the date of refusal of permission by the court below, rather than from the date of the decision or order appealed against. Also included are provisions on matters such as the removal of the automatic extension of time in Legal Aid cases, the effective date of Orders, and the revised procedure concerning the publication and disposal of documents.

All cases filed before December 2024 will continue to be subject to the previous Supreme Court Rules 2009 for the life of the case, together with the previous practice directions.

The new rules also address the new case management portal which is now live and will be mandatory for legally represented parties. The new portal is part of the Court’s ‘Change Programme’ which is intended to “transform the Court into a modern, world-leading court which is customer-centric, open, transparent, inclusive and efficient, with increased levels of public awareness and trust”. According to the Court, the portal will “make the submission and management of a case more intuitive, efficient and modern by including features such as a case tracker, and functionalities such as electronic service, correspondence and e-payment”.

The new rules and portal are also accompanied by the launch of new websites with the intention to “revolutionise the way users interact with the Court, whether that be for a case or to learn more about and engage with the highest court in the land”.

To read the new Supreme Court Rules in full, click here.