Applications for permission to appeal a ruling of an inferior court are heard by a single Lord or Lady Justice of Appeal. A full appeal is heard by three Court of Appeal judges in the Civil Division. In the Criminal Division, a single judge hears appeals against conviction with two other judges of the Court of Appeal Criminal Division. Appeals against sentence may be heard by a single Court of Appeal judge with another judge, or by two High Court judges. These types of Judges are assigned to handle the court of appeals. The Lord Justice of Appeals also handle high court, circuit court and magistrate cases with approval from the Lord Chief Justice. This allows the Court of Appeals jurisdiction to be expanded. These judges deal with unfair verdicts, convictions and cases that were deemed not dealt with properly by either parties.
In court, a Lord Justice of Appeal is referred to as My Lord or Your Lordship, and a Lady Justice of Appeal is referred to as My Lady or Your Ladyship. The style of "Lord Justice of Appeal" was prescribed by the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1877, but the term "Lady Justice" was used in practice by women soon after they were promoted to sit as judges of the Court of Appeal, and the term was included in the Courts Act 2003. When there is already or has until recently been a judge with the same surname as a new appointee, the new judge will often use a first name as part of his or her judicial title. Many judges have done this, such as Lord Justice Lawrence Collins. When referring to a Lord or Lady Justice of Appeal in a legal context, the judge is identified by use of the surname, followed by the letters "LJ". For example, Lord Justice Bloggs or Lady Justice Bloggs would be referred to as "Bloggs LJ". Where several judges are listed the double letters 'LJJ' are used; for example, "Bloggs, Smith and Jones LJJ". A knighthood is granted to a man upon appointment to the High Court, usually made a Knight Bachelor; by convention, a woman on appointment to the High Court becomes a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire ). By convention judges of the Court of Appeal are sworn of the Privy Council, entitling them to the honorific "The Right Honourable".
Court dress
Formerly, in all instances in court, a Court of Appeal judge's apparel consisted of a black silk gown, court coat or waistcoat and a short bench wig. In cases heard by the Court of Appeal Criminal Division, this remains the court dress. In cases heard in the Civil Division, judges wear a one-piece, zip-up robe onto which are stitched vertical, gold, clerical bands and no wig. These bands are red for High Court judges, pink for High Court Masters and Insolvency and Companies Court Judges, and blue for District Judges. On ceremonial occasions more elaborate robes and wigs are worn.
