The Criminal Appeal Act 1995 significantly changed the way in which criminal appeals are dealt with in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its wide-ranging provisions not only affect proceedings in the appellate courts but were also directed towards creation of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which was to become operational on March 31, 1997. That body was recommended by the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice in 1993 and was designed for, among other things, investigating alleged miscarriages of justice. The motivation behind the Act was a 10- to 15-year unremitting campaign by numerous organizations and individuals for an improved criminal appeals system. Many were concerned with specific cases, whereas others criticized the system in a wider context. Because much of the Criminal Appeal Act affects Northern Ireland as well as England and Wales, this book contains extensive reference to the relevant Northern Ireland legislation.