ARCHIVED: This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained.

This Practice Note is for historical reference only as it refers to CPR 81 as it was in force prior to 1 October 2020, and to Practice Direction 81 which is revoked in its entirety with effect from 1 October 2020. If you are dealing with a committal application post 1-October 2020 you need to refer to the current in force CPR 81 and the Practice Notes covering this, see: Contempt and committal—overview.

For the pre-1 October 2020 version of CPR 81 or Practice Direction 81, see:

This Practice Note sets out how you apply for permission to bring Committal proceedings.

Not all instances of contempt require you to first seek permission to bring committal proceedings. For guidance on when permission is required, see Practice Note: When is permission required to bring committal proceedings? [Archived]

For guidance on where to seek permission, see Practice Note: Committal applications—applying for permission—where to apply [Archived].

For guidance on the procedure when making a committal application, see Practice