A solicitor, a judge, and a barrister have been reappointed as commissioners of the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Joanne Fazakerly is a consultant solicitor practising in family and childcare law and was recently appointed a deputy district judge in family and civil. Nicola Cockburn, admitted in 2005, currently sits as a judge of the First-tier Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber and as a deputy district judge (civil). Zahra Ahmed is a practising barrister with specialist experience in regulatory, public law, immigration and criminal law, and the court of protection.

Appointments of CCRC commissioners are made by the King on the recommendation of the prime minister, who receives advice from the lord chancellor. The reappointments are for five years until 31 May 2029.

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The CCRC, created in 1997, is a statutory body that investigates alleged miscarriages of justice. It has the power to send or refer a case back to an appeal court if it considers there is a real possibility the court will quash the conviction or reduce the sentence.

Recent CCRC referrals include that of LIBOR trader Tom Hayes, who subsequently lost his appeal in the Court of Appeal. Last year, the organisation apologised to Andrew Malkinson, who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, for its handling of his case.