Yes! You can use AI to fill out Form N161, Appellant's Notice (All appeals except small claims track appeals and appeals to the Family Division of the High Court)
Form N161, the Appellant's Notice, is an official HM Courts and Tribunals Service form required to formally initiate an appeal against a court or tribunal decision in England and Wales, applicable to most civil proceedings excluding small claims track appeals and appeals to the Family Division of the High Court. It captures essential details including the parties involved, the court and judge whose decision is being appealed, grounds of appeal, permission to appeal status, legal representation, and supporting documents. The form also includes sections for additional applications such as a stay of execution or extension of time, as well as vulnerability declarations and a statement of truth. Today, this form can be filled out quickly and accurately using AI-powered services like Instafill.ai, which can also convert non-fillable PDF versions into interactive fillable forms.
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Form specifications
| Form name: | Form N161, Appellant's Notice (All appeals except small claims track appeals and appeals to the Family Division of the High Court) |
| Number of pages: | 11 |
| Language: | English |
| Categories: | civil court forms |
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How to Fill Out N161 Online for Free in 2026
Are you looking to fill out a N161 form online quickly and accurately? Instafill.ai offers the #1 AI-powered PDF filling software of 2026, allowing you to complete your N161 form in just 37 seconds or less.
Follow these steps to fill out your N161 form online using Instafill.ai:
- 1 Navigate to Instafill.ai and search for or upload Form N161 (Appellant's Notice) to begin filling it out online.
- 2 Complete Section 1 by entering the claim or case number, fee account details, and the names of the claimant(s)/applicant(s)/petitioner(s) and defendant(s)/respondent(s), then provide the appellant's and respondent's full contact details.
- 3 Fill in Section 2 with details of the appeal, including the originating court, the name and status of the judge whose decision you are appealing, the date of the decision, and whether it was a previous appeal decision.
- 4 Complete Sections 3 and 4 by indicating your legal representation status and your representative's details, confirming whether you hold a Civil Legal Aid Certificate, and addressing permission to appeal requirements including any granted or refused permissions.
- 5 Complete Sections 5 through 8 by specifying the order you wish to appeal, attaching or confirming the grounds of appeal and skeleton arguments, and indicating whether the claim involves an Aarhus Convention matter.
- 6 Fill in Sections 9 through 12 by stating what you are asking the Appeal Court to do, making any additional applications (stay of execution, extension of time, etc.), providing supporting evidence and reasons, and completing the vulnerability declaration.
- 7 Review and finalise the form by completing the Statement of Truth in Section 13, signing and dating the notice in Section 14, and ticking the checklist of supporting documents to be filed with the notice before submitting to the court.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Form N161
Form N161 is the official form used to lodge an appeal against a court decision in England and Wales. It must be completed by anyone wishing to appeal a judgment or order from the County Court, High Court, Family Court, or a Tribunal — except for small claims track appeals and appeals to the Family Division of the High Court, which use different forms.
Whether you need permission to appeal depends on the type of case and the court involved — the Guidance Notes N161A explain the different categories. Section 4 of the form asks you to confirm whether permission is required, whether it has already been granted, and if so, by which judge and on what date. If permission was only partially granted, you can also use this section to seek permission for the refused grounds.
The time limit for filing varies depending on the type of appeal, so you should consult the Guidance Notes N161A for the specific deadline that applies to your case. Section 4 asks you to confirm whether you have lodged the notice in time. If you have not filed within the deadline, you must complete Part B of Section 10 and Section 11 to apply for an extension of time and explain the reasons for the delay.
The required documents differ depending on whether you are appealing to the County Court/High Court or the Court of Appeal. Generally, you will need multiple copies of the appellant's notice and grounds of appeal, a copy of the sealed order being appealed, any permission to appeal order and the judge's reasons, and (if applicable) a Civil Legal Aid Certificate. Section 13 provides a full checklist for both courts, and you can explain in that section why any document is unavailable and when it will be supplied.
Grounds of Appeal are the specific reasons why you believe the judge who made the original order was wrong. They must be written in numbered paragraphs on a separate sheet headed 'Grounds of Appeal', with your claim or case number and full name in the top right-hand corner. Once prepared, attach the sheet to the form and tick the confirmation box in Section 6.
A Skeleton Argument — a written summary of the arguments supporting your Grounds of Appeal — should only be filed if appropriate, in accordance with CPR Practice Direction 52B, paragraph 8.3. If you are appealing to the Court of Appeal, you can confirm in Section 7 that the Skeleton Argument will follow within 14 days of filing. For other appeals, you may attach it directly to the notice.
In Section 9, you can ask the Appeal Court to set aside the original order entirely, vary the order and substitute a new one (in which case you must specify the replacement order), or order a new trial. You should tick the option that best reflects the outcome you are seeking.
Yes. If you want to prevent the original order from being enforced while your appeal is heard, you can apply for a stay of execution by ticking Part A in Section 10. You must then provide your reasons and supporting evidence in Section 11, and the Statement of Truth in the form must be signed.
Section 12 asks whether you or any witness who will give evidence on your behalf has a vulnerability the court should be aware of. If yes, you should tick 'Yes' and provide a detailed explanation of the vulnerability and any steps, support, or adjustments you would like the court and judge to consider, such as special measures or additional time.
The Statement of Truth (found after Section 12) confirms that the facts stated in Section 11 are true. It must be signed by the appellant, a litigation friend (if the appellant is a child or Protected Party), or the appellant's legal representative. Be aware that making a false statement in a document verified by a Statement of Truth can result in contempt of court proceedings.
An Aarhus Convention Claim relates to appeals under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 or the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, where environmental access-to-justice rights apply. If your claim qualifies, Section 8 allows you to indicate this, and if you are appealing to the Court of Appeal, you may apply to limit recoverable costs under CPR 52.19. You must also file a schedule of your financial resources as a supporting document.
If any required document is unavailable when you file, you should use the table at the end of Section 13 to list each missing document, explain why it has not been supplied, and state the date by which you expect to provide it. You should still file as many documents as possible at the time of submission.
Yes — services like Instafill.ai use AI to accurately auto-fill form fields, saving you time and reducing the risk of errors. If you have a flat, non-fillable PDF version of Form N161, Instafill.ai can also convert it into an interactive fillable form so you can complete it digitally.
To fill in Form N161 online, visit Instafill.ai and upload your copy of the form. The AI will guide you through each section — from appellant and respondent details to grounds of appeal and supporting documents — auto-filling fields where possible and prompting you for any information it needs. Once complete, you can download, print, and submit the form to the appropriate court.
You must file the completed form at the appropriate appeal court — either the County Court, High Court, or Court of Appeal, depending on your case. For the County Court or High Court, you need three copies of the appellant's notice and grounds of appeal for the court, plus one additional copy for each respondent. For the Court of Appeal, the same rule applies, along with additional documents such as witness statements and skeleton arguments. Check Section 13 carefully for the full list.
Compliance N161
Validation Checks by Instafill.ai
1
Ensures the Appellant's Full Name and Address are Provided
This check verifies that both the Appellant Name and Appellant Address fields in Section 1 are completed with non-empty values, and that the address includes a valid UK postcode in the standard format (e.g., SW1A 1AA). The appellant's identity and contact details are fundamental to the appeal process, as the court must be able to identify the party bringing the appeal and correspond with them. If either field is missing or the postcode is malformed, the form should be rejected as incomplete and the appellant prompted to supply the missing information.
2
Ensures the Date of Decision Being Appealed is a Valid Past Date
This check validates that the 'Date of Decision' field in Section 2 contains a properly formatted date (DD/MM/YYYY) and that the date is not in the future, since an appellant can only appeal against a decision that has already been made. The date is also critical for calculating whether the appeal has been lodged within the permitted time limits under CPR rules. If the date is absent, incorrectly formatted, or falls in the future, the form must be flagged for correction before processing.
3
Ensures a Judge's Name and Status are Both Provided
This check confirms that the 'Judge's Name' field is populated and that exactly one of the Judge's Status checkboxes (District Judge or Deputy, Circuit Judge or Recorder, Tribunal Judge, Master or Deputy, High Court Judge or Deputy, or Justice(s) of the Peace) has been selected in Section 2. Both pieces of information are required to correctly route the appeal and determine the appropriate appeal court. If the judge's name is blank or no status checkbox is selected, the form is incomplete and cannot be processed.
4
Ensures the Court of Origin is Identified with Sufficient Detail
This check verifies that exactly one court origin option has been selected in Section 2 (County Court, Family Court, High Court with a division, or Other), and that where a specific location or name is required (e.g., 'The County Court at' or 'Other, please specify'), the corresponding text field is not left blank. Identifying the originating court is essential for determining jurisdiction and the correct appellate pathway. If no court is selected or a required location field is empty, the form should be returned to the appellant for completion.
5
Ensures Logical Consistency Between Permission to Appeal Fields
This check validates the logical relationship between the 'Need Permission to Appeal' and 'Permission to Appeal Granted' fields in Section 4: if 'Need Permission' is 'No', then the permission-granted fields and Box A details should not be required; if 'Need Permission' is 'Yes' and 'Permission Granted' is 'Yes', then Box A (date of order and judge's name granting permission) must be completed. Inconsistent combinations — such as indicating permission has been granted without providing the granting judge's name or order date — would create ambiguity in the court record. Any logical mismatch or incomplete Box A when permission has been granted should trigger a validation error.
6
Ensures Box A Date of Order Granting Permission is a Valid Past Date
When Box A is applicable (i.e., permission to appeal has already been granted), this check verifies that the 'Date of Order' field contains a valid date in DD/MM/YYYY format and that the date precedes the date of filing. A future or malformed date for the permission order would be logically impossible and could indicate a data entry error. If Box A is required but the date is missing, incorrectly formatted, or in the future, the form should be flagged for correction.
7
Ensures Legal Representation Details are Complete When Legally Represented
This check confirms that if the 'Legally Represented - Yes' checkbox is selected in Section 3, then the Legal Representative Name, Legal Representative Address (including postcode), and at least one contact method (telephone, email, or DX number) are provided. Additionally, exactly one type of legal representative checkbox (solicitor, direct access counsel for litigation, or direct access counsel for hearings only) must be selected. Incomplete legal representative details would prevent the court from communicating with the appellant's representative, potentially causing procedural delays or errors.
8
Ensures Appellant Email Address is in a Valid Format
This check validates that if the Appellant Email Address field is populated, it conforms to a standard email format (i.e., contains an '@' symbol, a domain name, and a valid top-level domain such as '.com' or '.co.uk'). The same format validation applies to the Legal Representative Email, Respondent Email, and Respondent's Legal Representative Email fields. An incorrectly formatted email address would prevent the court from sending electronic correspondence, which could result in missed communications and procedural failures.
9
Ensures Appellant Telephone Number is in a Valid UK Format
This check verifies that if the Appellant Telephone Number field is completed, it contains a valid UK telephone number, typically consisting of 10–11 digits and optionally beginning with '+44'. The same validation applies to the Legal Representative, Respondent, and Respondent's Legal Representative telephone number fields. An invalid telephone number format would make it impossible for the court to contact the relevant party by phone, which could impede urgent communications during the appeal process.
10
Ensures the Grounds of Appeal Attachment is Confirmed
This check verifies that the 'Confirmation of Grounds of Appeal Attachment' checkbox in Section 6 has been ticked, confirming that the grounds of appeal document is attached to the notice. The grounds of appeal are a mandatory component of any appellant's notice, as they set out the legal basis for challenging the lower court's decision. If this confirmation is not checked, the form should be treated as incomplete and the appellant must be prompted to attach and confirm the grounds before submission.
11
Ensures the Order Being Appealed is Described
This check confirms that the 'Order to Appeal Against Details' field in Section 5 is not left blank, requiring the appellant to set out the specific order or part of the order they wish to appeal against. Without a clear description of the order being challenged, the appeal court cannot identify the precise decision under review, which could lead to the appeal being struck out or delayed. If this field is empty, the form should be flagged as incomplete.
12
Ensures the Timely Lodging Confirmation is Answered and Consistent with Extension Application
This check verifies that exactly one of the 'Timely Lodging Confirmation' options (Yes or No) has been selected in Section 4, and that if 'No' is selected, the appellant has also checked the 'Apply for an extension of time for filing appeal notice' box in Section 10 and provided reasons in Section 11. Failing to lodge an appeal in time without applying for an extension is a procedural defect that could result in the appeal being dismissed. If 'No' is selected but no extension application is made, the form should generate a warning requiring the appellant to address this inconsistency.
13
Ensures the Statement of Truth is Properly Completed When Section 11 Evidence is Provided
This check confirms that when Section 11 (Evidence in Support) contains content, the Statement of Truth section (Section 13) is fully completed: one of the belief statements must be checked, a signatory role must be selected, the signature field must be populated, and the date fields (Day, Month, Year) must together form a valid complete date. The Statement of Truth is a legal requirement that verifies the accuracy of the evidence provided, and proceedings for contempt of court may follow if a false statement is made. If any of these elements are missing when Section 11 is populated, the form must be returned for completion.
14
Ensures the Aarhus Convention Claim Grounds are Provided When the Claim is Identified as an Aarhus Claim
This check verifies that if the 'Aarhus Convention Claim Yes' checkbox is selected in Section 8, the 'Aarhus Convention Claim Grounds' text field is not left blank and contains a substantive explanation. For Court of Appeal cases, it also checks whether the schedule of the claimant's financial resources has been indicated as filed in Section 13. The Aarhus Convention imposes specific procedural requirements and cost protections, and failing to provide grounds or supporting documentation could result in the claim not being treated as an Aarhus claim, exposing the appellant to uncapped costs.
15
Ensures the Appeal Court Request Section Contains at Least One Selection
This check confirms that at least one option in Section 9 has been selected — either 'Set aside the order', 'Vary the order and substitute a new order' (with the proposed substituted order text field completed), or 'Order a new trial'. If 'Vary the order' is selected, the 'Proposed Substituted Order' field must also be populated with the specific order sought. Without a clear statement of the relief sought, the appeal court cannot determine what outcome the appellant is requesting, rendering the notice fundamentally deficient.
16
Ensures Missing Document Reasons Include an Expected Supply Date
This check validates that for each document listed in the missing documents table in Section 13, if a 'Title and Reason Not Supplied' field is populated, the corresponding 'Expected Supply Date' field must also contain a valid future date in DD/MM/YYYY format. Providing a reason without an expected supply date leaves the court without the information needed to manage the appeal timetable and may result in the appeal being stayed or dismissed for non-compliance. Any row where a reason is given but no supply date is provided, or where the supply date is in the past, should be flagged for correction.
Common Mistakes in Completing N161
Appellants frequently omit the original claim or case number, or confuse it with the new appeal court reference number. This is a critical identifier that links the appeal to the original proceedings, and its absence can cause delays or rejection of the notice. The case number should be taken directly from the original court order or claim form. Tools like Instafill.ai can help by pre-populating known case reference numbers and flagging when this field is left blank.
Many appellants forget to prepare a separate 'Grounds of Appeal' document or tick the confirmation box in Section 6, even when they have written grounds. The grounds must be set out in numbered paragraphs on a separate sheet headed 'Grounds of Appeal' with the claim/case number and full name in the top right corner. Without this document, the appeal notice is fundamentally defective and may be struck out. Always prepare this document before completing the form and ensure the confirmation checkbox is ticked.
Appellants often file their notice late without realising they must tick 'No' to the timely lodging question and complete Part B of Section 10 and Section 11 to apply for an extension of time. Different types of appeals have different time limits (typically 21 days from the decision), and failing to address a late filing properly can result in the appeal being dismissed. Always check the Guidance Notes N161A for the applicable time limit and, if filing late, provide full reasons in Section 11.
Section 4 confuses many appellants because it requires understanding whether permission is needed, whether it has already been granted, and which box (A or B) applies to their situation. A common error is ticking that permission has been granted when it has only been partially granted, or failing to complete Box B to seek permission when it has not yet been granted. Mishandling this section can result in the appeal proceeding on an incorrect basis or being rejected. Read the Guidance Notes N161A carefully and, if in doubt, seek legal advice before completing this section.
Appellants and their representatives regularly provide addresses for the appellant, respondent, or legal representatives without including the full postcode. The form explicitly requires addresses 'including postcode' for all parties, and an incomplete address can cause correspondence to be misdirected or delayed. Always double-check that every address field on the form includes the correct and complete postcode. AI-powered tools like Instafill.ai can validate address formats and flag missing postcodes automatically.
In Section 2, appellants sometimes leave the judge's status unticked or select the wrong category (e.g., ticking 'District Judge' when the decision was made by a Circuit Judge). The judge's status is important because it determines the correct appeal route and which court has jurisdiction to hear the appeal. Check the original order or court paperwork carefully to confirm the exact title of the judge who made the decision. Getting this wrong can result in the appeal being filed in the wrong court.
Section 7 requires appellants to either attach a skeleton argument or confirm it will follow within 14 days, but many people leave this section blank or misunderstand which option applies to their type of appeal. For Court of Appeal cases, the skeleton argument must be attached; for other appeals, it may follow within 14 days if appropriate under CPR PD 52B paragraph 8.3. Failing to address this section can lead to procedural complications and delays in the appeal being listed. Carefully read the two options and select the one that matches your appeal type and readiness.
Appellants frequently fail to tick the correct boxes in Section 13 or omit key documents such as the sealed copy of the order being appealed, copies for each respondent, or the approved transcript of judgment. The number of copies required differs between the County Court/High Court and the Court of Appeal, and filing the wrong number of copies is a very common error. Missing documents can cause the appeal to be rejected or delayed significantly. Carefully review the checklist for the relevant court and prepare all documents before filing, using the 'reasons not supplied' table for any unavailable documents.
When appellants make additional applications in Section 10 (such as a stay of execution or extension of time) and provide supporting evidence in Section 11, they must complete the Statement of Truth, but this is frequently overlooked or left unsigned. Without a signed Statement of Truth, the evidence in Section 11 has no legal validity and the application may be dismissed. Ensure the correct statement of belief is ticked, the appropriate signatory role is selected, and the form is signed and dated with the full name of the signatory.
At the top of the form, appellants must tick whether the original party was a Claimant, Applicant, or Petitioner, and similarly for the other side (Defendant or Respondent), but many people either leave these boxes blank or tick the wrong one. The correct designation depends on the type of original proceedings (e.g., 'Applicant' is used in family proceedings, 'Claimant' in civil claims). Using the wrong designation can cause confusion about the nature of the original proceedings. Refer to the original claim or application documents to confirm the correct party designations.
Many appellants forget to tick the appropriate box in Section 9 to specify whether they want the order set aside, varied with a substituted order, or a new trial ordered. This section is essential because it defines the remedy being sought, and leaving it blank means the court has no clear direction on what outcome the appellant is pursuing. If seeking a varied order, the specific substituted order must also be written out in the space provided. Always complete this section clearly and ensure the requested order is consistent with the Grounds of Appeal.
Section 12 on vulnerability is frequently left blank by appellants who assume it does not apply to them, without properly considering whether they or any witness may have needs the court should accommodate (e.g., disabilities, mental health conditions, language barriers). Failing to disclose relevant vulnerabilities means the court cannot make appropriate adjustments, which could disadvantage the appellant during proceedings. Even if you are unsure, consider carefully whether any adjustments might be needed and, if so, provide a clear explanation of the vulnerability and the support required.
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