Updated: 14 November 2018; 04 April 2024

This guidance is to assist prosecutors who will sometimes have to decide whether to charge an offence, or continue with a prosecution, where a nominal penalty is likely.

Updated: 21 Jun 2024; 15 Oct 2024; 10 Mar 2026

Murder and manslaughter are two of the offences that constitute homicide.

Updated: 30 April 2020; 2 December 2021; 6 July 2022; 22 December 2023; 26 January 2024; 22 October 2024; 22 July 2025

This guidance provides practical and legal guidance to prosecutors dealing with cases of modern slavery, human trafficking and smuggling.

Updated: 20 August 2019

This legal guidance on the Hunting Act 2004 (the Act) is for prosecutors and caseworkers.

Updated: 2 August 2022; 26 April 2023; 24 July 2023

This guidance provides an overview of how prosecutors can obtain evidence from overseas for use in criminal investigation or proceedings in England and Wales. More detailed process guidance can be found on the Casework Hub.

Updated: 4 December 2019

Judges, district judges and magistrates may express a view about CPS policy, decision- making or conduct of a particular case. This may be in public or in private; favourable or unfavourable.

Updated: 21 July 2022

In some circumstances, the parties to the case can challenge the empanelment of a juror through ‘Stand By’ or ‘Challenge to Cause’, full details of which are set out in this document.

Updated: 21 Mar 2022; 27 Jun 2022; 23 Jul 2024; 31 Oct 2024; 21 Nov 2025; 26 Feb 2026

The standard contained in this chapter is designed to assist prosecutors and police officers in selecting the most appropriate charge, in the light of the facts that can be proved, at the earliest possible opportunity. The standard set out below should not be used when reaching any investigatory decision, such as the decision to arrest.

Updated: January 2019; Revised 19 September 2023

Issued 17 Oct 2013, revised 26 Jul 2017, updated 22 Nov 2018, 11 Jan 2023, 14 Jan 2026