Practice Direction for the Administrative Appeals Chamber of the Upper Tribunal: Electronic filing – CE-File

Administrative Appeals Chamber (Upper Tribunal)Practice Direction

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  1. In this practice direction:
    references to numbered Rules are to the rules so numbered in the Tribunal Procedure (Upper Tribunal) Rules 2008;
    “the Tribunal” means the Administrative Appeals Chamber of the Upper Tribunal;
    “legal representative” has the same meaning as in rule 11;
    “excluded documents” are original documents, audio or video recordings, electronic bundles for use in hearings, closed/confidential material, documents larger than 50 megabytes.
  2. CE-File is the online system for filing documents electronically at the Tribunal. It is the ‘secure portal’ referred to in rule 13, and as such it may be used by any party or their representative to provide documents to the Tribunal.
  3. In any proceedings that are started in the Tribunal on or after 4 December 2023, any document provided to the Tribunal by a party who is represented by a legal representative in the proceedings or is a body amenable to judicial review must be provided using CE-File. Time limits for filing of documents apply to filing by CE-File as they apply to filing of documents by other means.
  4. A party must register to use CE-File.
  5. Any document (other than an excluded document) which is provided to the Tribunal using CE-File must—
    (a) consist of one copy only unless additional copies are required by a rule, practice direction or case management direction; and
    (b) not also be filed by some other means unless required by a rule, practice direction or case management direction; and
    (c) not exceed 50 megabytes.
  6. Excluded documents must be filed by contacting the Tribunal at a dminappeals@justice.gov.uk for instructions. The party must provide the case reference number and a description of the document to be filed. Instructions for filing will be given by the Upper Tribunal. Time limits set out in rules, practice directions and case management directions apply to filing of excluded documents.
  1. CE-File cannot be used to provide documents to another party. Documents which are required to be provided to another party must be sent or delivered to that party by another method permitted under rule 13.
  2. CE-File will sometimes be unavailable due to (e.g.) planned maintenance or a system failure. The requirement to use CE-File does not apply during periods when CE-File is unavailable. Any party will be allowed to provide documents by other permitted means during such periods.
  3. Except in the circumstances described in paragraph 8, if a party is mandated to provide documents using CE-File the Tribunal will not accept that document if submitted by other means unless a judge or Registrar has permitted or requested the submission of such a document by other means.

This practice direction is made by the Senior President of Tribunals with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor under section 23 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007.

Sir Keith Lindblom
Senior President of Tribunals
4 October 2023

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