Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Judicial review definition

What does Judicial review mean? Judicial review is the court process used to challenge the lawfulness of decisions, actions or omissions of public bodies (such as ministers, local authorities, regulators and tribunals), rather than to reconsider the merits. It is a supervisory jurisdiction developed mainly through case law, with procedural rules set by legislation and court rules. Across the UK and Ireland, typical grounds include illegality (error of law, acting beyond powers), irrationality/unreasonableness, procedural unfairness (including breach of natural justice and legitimate expectation), and, where engaged, proportionality under the European Convention on Human Rights. Common remedies are quashing, prohibiting and mandatory orders, declarations and injunctions; damages...

Template letter before claim for judicial review (Pre-Action Protocol; CPR 54) (England and Wales)

Published by a LexisNexis Public Law expert

Precedents

[ Insert the name and address of the proposed Defendant ]

Dear [ insert organisation name ]

Letter before claim in proposed Judicial review proceedings concerning [ insert brief description of decision, act or omission at issue ]

[ Claimant OR Your Client ]: [ insert proposed Claimant’s full name ]

[ Defendant OR Our client ]: [ insert proposed Defendant’s full name ]

Our [ firm OR department ] represents [ insert proposed Claimant’s full name ] in relation to a prospective judicial review of the Defendant’s [ decision OR act OR omission ] [ insert brief summary of decision, act or omission ].

This correspondence serves as [ our client’s OR the Claimant’s ] letter before claim, issued in line with the Pre-Action Protocol for Judicial Review.

We have used the standard letter before claim format set out in Annex A to the Pre-Action Protocol for Judicial Review.

To [ Insert the title, full name and address of the proposed Defendant. ]
The Claimant [ Insert the title, full name and address of the Claimant. ]...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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