Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

restraint order definition

What does restraint order mean? In practice, a restraint order freezes a suspect’s or defendant’s realisable property to preserve assets for potential confiscation, compensation or forfeiture, by prohibiting any dealing with the property. It commonly applies to all realisable assets (including those held via third parties or abroad), subject to limited allowances for reasonable living and legal expenses. In England & Wales and Northern Ireland, restraint orders are statutory under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA). They are usually obtained by prosecutors or investigators from the criminal courts, often without notice, pre‑ or post‑charge, where an investigation has begun and there are reasonable grounds to...

Limited Civil Restraint Orders under CPR PD 3C (England and Wales): definition, threshold (two totally without merit applications), decision-makers, effect and duration, permission requirement, and sanctions for breach

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Practice notes

This Practice Note sets out what a limited civil restraint order (LCRO) is and the situations in which the court will make one under CPR 2.3 and CPR PD 3C. It outlines the impact of these orders and the ramifications of any non-compliance. It also indicates who may issue a LCRO and the criteria for doing so. Read this alongside Practice Note: Civil Restraint orders, which provides general guidance on civil restraint orders (CROs) applicable across all forms of CRO. See also Practice Notes: Extended civil restraint orders, General civil restraint orders, and Civil proceedings orders against vexatious litigants for details of other measures available against vexatious litigants.

What is a limited civil restraint order (LCRO)?

A LCRO can be made by a judge of any court where a party has brought two or more applications that are totally without merit (CPR PD 3C, para 2.1). Once in place, it bars that party from issuing further applications within the same proceedings without first obtaining the court’s permission (CPR PD 3C, para 2.2). An example of a LCRO is attached to CPR...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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