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Appeals and overturned decisions

Last checked 24 October 2026 · 8 sources

Short answer

Most appeals fail. In the US federal courts of appeals, the published reversal rate for appeals decided on the merits in the year to 30 September 2025 was 7.9% overall and 7.5% for criminal appeals 1. At the EU Court of Justice, 24 of 156 appeals closed in 2025 led to the General Court's decision being set aside 3. In England and Wales, the Criminal Cases Review Commission has referred 931 cases to appeal courts since 1997, and 623 appeals have succeeded 4.
US appeals terminated on the merits, FY 2025
24,318 1
US percent reversed, FY 2025
7.9% all appeals, 7.5% criminal 1
EU Court of Justice appeals closed, 2025
156, of which 24 set aside the decision under appeal 3
EU Court of Justice average appeal length, 2025
15.1 months 3
CCRC referrals to end of August 2026
931 referred, 885 heard, 623 successful 4
Magistrates' court appeal deadline, England and Wales
Usually 15 working days from sentence 6

What the outcome words mean

  • Affirmed: the appeal court upholds the decision below. In US Table B-5 this is counted as affirmed or enforced 1.
  • Reversed: the appeal court overturns the decision below. US Table B-5 publishes a percent reversed for each type of appeal 1.
  • Remanded: the case is sent back to the lower court. At the EU Court of Justice, 19 of the 24 decisions set aside in 2025 were referred back to the General Court 1,3.
  • Dismissed: Table B-5 counts dismissals among appeals terminated on the merits, separately from affirmances and reversals 1.
  • Quashed: in England and Wales an overturned conviction or sentence is quashed. The CCRC declines to refer a case where there is no real possibility of the conviction or sentence being quashed 5.

United States federal courts of appeals

In fiscal year 2025, which ended on 30 September 2025, 41,824 appeals were filed and 40,411 were terminated 2. Pro se litigants, who represent themselves, filed 50 percent of new appeals 2.

Table B-5 reports decisions in the 24,318 appeals terminated on the merits. 16,900 were affirmed or enforced and 1,845 were reversed. The table publishes a percent reversed of 7.9% for all appeals, quoted here as published 1.

Appeal type, FY 2025Terminated on the meritsReversedPercent reversed
Criminal 16,962 1521 17.5% 1
US prisoner petitions 11,444 157 13.9% 1
Other US civil 11,363 1155 111.4% 1
Private prisoner petitions 13,237 1151 14.7% 1
Other private civil 15,602 1647 111.5% 1
Administrative agency appeals 12,454 1152 16.2% 1

European Union: appeals to the Court of Justice

Decisions of the EU General Court can be appealed to the Court of Justice. In 2025 the Court of Justice closed 156 appeals. In 24 of them the judgment or order under appeal was set aside, and 19 of those were referred back to the General Court 3. The average length of appeal proceedings fell from 18.4 months to 15.1 months 3. Across all case types the Court of Justice closed 774 cases in 2025, with an average length of 16.7 months 3.

England and Wales: criminal appeals and reviews

A person convicted in a magistrates' court usually needs to appeal to the Crown Court within 15 working days of sentence. Later appeals need an explanation and evidence, and the Crown Court may not consider them 6.

A request can be sent to the Attorney General's Office to review a Crown Court sentence as unduly lenient. The request must arrive by 11:59pm on the 28th day after sentencing. The Court of Appeal can keep the sentence, increase it or refuse to hear the case 7.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission reviews possible miscarriages of justice after normal appeals. Applicants should have tried to appeal first 5. A committee of at least three Commissioners decides on referral 5. From April 1997 to the end of August 2026 it received 35,910 applications, including ineligible ones, referred 931 cases to appeal courts, saw 885 appeals heard and recorded 623 successful appeals 4.

Who can appeal

Rules on who can appeal differ by system. In US federal criminal cases, the government may not appeal a not guilty verdict, and the defendant cannot be charged again for the same offense in federal court 8. In England and Wales the Attorney General can refer some Crown Court sentences to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient 7.

Common questions

How often do US federal appeals courts reverse?

In fiscal year 2025 Table B-5 reported 7.9% of appeals terminated on the merits as reversed, and 7.5% of criminal appeals 1.

Can prosecutors appeal an acquittal in the US?

Not in federal court. If a defendant is found not guilty, the government may not appeal 8.

What does the Criminal Cases Review Commission do?

It reviews possible miscarriages of justice after an appeal has been tried and can send a case to the appeal court. It has recorded 623 successful appeals since 1997 4,5.

How long do I have to appeal a magistrates' court decision?

Usually 15 working days from the date of sentence 6.

Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@enforcementoutcomes.com.

Sources

  1. United States Courts: Table B-5, U.S. Courts of Appeals, Decisions in Cases Terminated on the Merits, by Circuit and Nature of Proceeding, 12-month period ending 30 September 2025
  2. United States Courts: U.S. Courts of Appeals, Judicial Business 2025
  3. Court of Justice of the European Union: Statistics concerning the judicial activity of the Court of Justice (2025)
  4. Criminal Cases Review Commission: Facts and figures
  5. Criminal Cases Review Commission: The case review process
  6. GOV.UK: Appeal a magistrates' court decision: When to appeal to the Crown Court
  7. GOV.UK: Ask for a Crown Court sentence to be reviewed
  8. United States Courts: Criminal Cases

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