Updated: 1 August 2024, 27 November 2024, 5 December 2024, 22 July 2025; 6 Feb 2026

This prosecution guidance reflects how we prosecute domestic abuse cases, providing practical and streamlined guidance for prosecutors, highlighting where legislation has been amended and incorporating recent case law. It also provides guidance regarding myths and stereotypes in domestic abuse cases.

minor updates: 20 Feb 2023; 1 May 2026

minor update: 20 February 2023; minor changes: 28 July 2023, 18 February 2025, 13 June 2025

This guidance provides an overview of how the CPS considers and makes extradition requests.

This Guidance is intended to assist prosecutors who have conduct of a hearing where: a defendant is in custody and has refused to leave the cell at prison, or a defendant has refused to leave the prison to attend court, or a defendant has refused to leave their cell when they have arrived at court, without good reason.

Updated: 31 May 2023, 11 Dec 2024, 11 Sept 2025, 13 Nov 2025

Updated: 07 August 2023, 22 July 2025

Updated: 31 January 2024

This new interim legal guidance published on 19th October 2020 replaces the previous guidance on rape and sexual offences most recently updated on 18th March 2019.

This accompanying note is to provide complementary information for therapists to the CPS Legal Guidance on Pre-trial Therapy. It does not have the force of guidance but is intended as a helpful complement to our guidance for therapists to better understand the criminal justice process and how this can impact clients who have been victims of a criminal offence. This accompanying note has been drafted with significant input from an expert advisor.