New commissioners appointed for fixed terms to assess cases involving potential wrongful convictions
Six new Commissioners have been appointed to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) following approval by His Majesty the King, acting on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The appointments were announced by the Ministry of Justice on 1 May 2026.
The appointments will run for a fixed term of three years, commencing on 7 April 2026 and concluding on 6 April 2029.
The CCRC is an independent body established under the Criminal Appeal Act 1995, and it began operations in 1997. Its statutory role is to review cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where a miscarriage of justice is alleged or suspected.
The Commission assesses applications to determine whether there is new evidence or a new legal argument that creates a real possibility an appellate court would overturn a conviction or vary a sentence.
Appointments to the CCRC are governed by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, and the recruitment and selection process must comply with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.
Under the statutory framework, Commissioners are formally appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Prime Minister, who in turn receives recommendations from the Lord Chancellor.
The announcement forms part of the ongoing process of maintaining the Commission’s operational capacity to review alleged miscarriages of justice. The CCRC continues to act as an independent review body within the criminal justice system, tasked with identifying cases where further judicial consideration may be warranted.