EDITOR'S NOTE: The High Court overturned Cardinal George Pell's conviction for historic child sex offences in a judgment handed down April 7, 2020. In a unanimous decision all seven High Court judges found Victoria's Court of Appeal should not have upheld Pell's conviction It found the evidence could not support a guilty verdict.

Cardinal George Pell's lawyers have taken his fight to overturn his child sex abuse convictions to the High Court.

On Tuesday, Pell's lawyers lodged a special leave application with the High Court – a day before the deadline for lodgement.

Pell's legal team had 28 days to go to the High Court after the cardinal's first appeal against his convictions for the oral rape of a choirboy and the sexual assault of another was dismissed.

The convicted paedophile is currently behind bars, serving a minimum prison sentence of three years and eight months for his crimes against the two choirboys.