After my hearing or trial

Examples of court or tribunal decisions include the following:

• A criminal court find you guilty or not guilty if you’re a defendant in a criminal case.
• The Family Court approves or rejects an application for a divorce.
• The Family Court decides on childcare arrangements.
• A civil court approves or rejects a claim for money against another person or a company.
• An employment tribunal approves or rejects a claim against an employer.
• A tribunal approves or rejects a claim against a decision of the government, for example, about an immigration or asylum claim.
• A court or tribunal approves or rejects an appeal against a decision of another court or tribunal.

The decision made about your case might be simple and easy to understand. However, courts and tribunals can make complicated decisions. An example could be an order that requires you or someone else in your case to take or avoid taking specific actions.

When your solicitor explains the decision made about your case, they need to:

• communicate clearly and provide information in a way you can understand
• meet your needs
• be sensitive.

After your hearing or trial, your solicitor might outline some options for you to consider about the future of your case. These can depend on:

• the court or tribunal that dealt with your case
• what area of law your case is in
• your personal circumstances, which can include your goals and financial situation.

One option you might need to think about is whether to appeal the decision made about your case if:

• a criminal court has decided you are guilty of a crime
• a court or tribunal has rejected your application or claim
• or has approved an application or claim against you.

Find out more about appeals.

However, your solicitor can only act on the instructions you've given them, which might not cover anything after your hearing or trial.

So if you want advice about your options, such as an appeal, you might need to give new instructions to your solicitor or instruct someone else.