Today marks the official launch of the new All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court and the Sheriff Appeal Court.
The new courts are part of the reforms introduced by Lord Gill under Courts Reforms. The changes which come into force from today, include:
- the creation of the new Sheriff Appeal Court
- an All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court
- an extension to exclusive competence of all sheriff courts to actions with a value of up to £100,000
- the introduction of a three-month time limit and a requirement for permission in judicial reviews
- a requirement for permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court.
“These reforms are part of the most visionary changes for the courts in more than a century,” says SCTS Acting Chief Operations Officer David Fraser. “The Sheriff Appeal Court is a new entity entirely, while jurisdiction has altered significantly through the creation of the All-Scotland Personal Injury Court. These are historic changes that will bring improvement across the justice system.”
Sheriff Personal Injury Court
The new All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury (PI) Court sits in Edinburgh Sheriff Court taking on much of the personal injury caseload excluded from the Court of Session by the £100,000 jurisdiction threshold.
Sheriff Appeal Court (SAC)
The SAC hears appeals from sheriff and justice of the peace courts, removing this business from the Supreme Courts. The SAC starts with jurisdiction for criminal cases, but from early next year will also have jurisdiction in civil cases.
Judicial Reviews
The principle that judicial review cases should be speedily determined runs through a rules re-write establishing a swift timetable for permission decisions and hearings.
UK Supreme Court
Appeals to the Supreme Court from decisions of the Inner House will now require the leave of the Inner House or, if refused, the Supreme Court.