Appeals

Recommended Practice based on International Guidelines

Decisions made by civil registrars can have legal consequences and it is important that the system includes a process of appeal or review of those decisions. Individuals should have the right to appeal civil registration decisions to the courts. Prior to filing an appeal in the courts, some countries require that the appeal against a local civil registrar's decision be filed before a higher administrative level, up to the national level. The exhaustion of remedies serves a dual purpose of allowing a civil registration agency the opportunity to correct its mistake without burdening the courts, and creates an administrative record for court to review in a judicial appeal.