Appeal-skeleton redaction is the removal of personal data from the written argument and papers lodged under CPR PD 52C, the practice direction that governs appeals to the Court of Appeal. anonym.plus marks each identifier on your device, so the argument stays whole while the data goes.
When this applies
An appellate challenge recycles the material from below. Rule 52.21(1) limits it to a review of the lower court's decision, so the identifiers in the trial papers travel upward with the compilation. Permission itself turns on the test in rule 52.6(1): a real prospect of success, or some other compelling reason for the case to be heard.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Load the argument and its papers into anonym.plus on your device.
- The tool scans the text, the references, and each attached page.
- It flags NI numbers, account numbers, birth dates, and children.
- Keep authorities and page references intact.
- Swap or black out the confirmed identifiers.
- Save the clean copy locally.
What you need to provide
- The skeleton and its papers (DOCX, PDF, scan).
- An operator (Replace keeps the prose readable).
- Optional allow-list for page and authority references.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | UK_NINO | QQ 60 22 44 A → [NINO] |
| Names | PERSON | Appellant Reyes → [PARTY] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | DOB 1990 → [DOB] |
| Financial | UK_BANK_NUMBER | acct 7782 → [ACCOUNT] |
| Minor | PERSON | J.R., a minor → [MINOR] |
| Location | LOCATION | trial venue → [ADDRESS] |
Compliance achieved
- Follows the Court of Appeal procedure in CPR PD 52C for the skeleton and the papers lodged with it.
- Recognises that an appellate challenge is a review of the decision below under CPR 52.21(1), so the identifiers come up from the trial papers.
- Keeps the reasoning that meets the permission test in CPR 52.6(1): a real prospect of success or some other compelling reason.
- Treats the skeleton as a document a non-party reaches only under CPR 5.4C(2) or the inherent jurisdiction in Cape Intermediate Holdings Ltd v Dring [2019] UKSC 38.
- Keeps page references and authorities whole for the court.
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Limitations & cautions
Quotes from the evidence carry the lower court's identifiers. CPR PD 52C also sets filing deadlines the tool knows nothing about. Read the quoted passages and check the timetable before you lodge.
Frequently asked questions
Which rules govern a skeleton lodged on appeal?
CPR PD 52C sets out the procedure for appeals to the Court of Appeal, including the skeleton and the papers lodged with it. Rule 52.21(1) limits the hearing to a review of the decision below, so the same material, and the same identifiers, come up with it.
Do the lodged papers get scanned too?
Yes. The tool scans the argument and every page lodged with it, with OCR for any scanned exhibit, so an identifier buried in a trial page is flagged like any other.
Is the skeleton uploaded for processing?
No. The app runs locally, so the document and its work-product stay on your machine.