Craig Wright has seemingly taken the first steps to challenge the verdict of the Crypto Open Patent Alliance’s (COPA) contempt of court case, according to sources familiar with the proceedings. 

According to patent attorney David Pearce, who cites people directly involved with the case, documents filed with the court by Wright earlier this month are likely an application for permission to appeal.

Pearce told Protos, “I’m aware from Wright’s very brief comments and, more reliably, from someone I know involved in the COPA v Wright case that he has submitted something to the Supreme Court.

“This would have to be an application for permission to appeal, following the decision of the Court of Appeal refusing his permission to appeal there.”

Pearce adds however that, if this is indeed the case, the application won’t get far. “The problem is that any appeal to the Supreme Court is legally barred, so Wright is inevitably going to get his application rejected.”

Wright claimed when he was found guilty of contempt of court last December that he would appeal the verdict. During a hearing, Wright was also told to pay £144,000 ($180,000) to cover COPA’s legal costs and given a two-year suspended prison sentence.