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Home Page > Court Unification > Sheriffdoms > Grampian Highland And Islands : Justice of the Peace

Justice of the Peace

From 10 December 2007 all Justices of the Peace in Scotland who have accepted re-appointment will start new 5 year terms. In line with these changes new Justices Committees have been set up and preliminary meetings have taken place, details can be found below.

Also changing from 10 December are the arrangements for Counter-Signature of certain documents, details on how this will work in GH&I are given below.

Sheriffdom Justices Committees

Two JPs from either end of the Sheriffdom, Brian Wood (Aberdeenshire at Stonehaven) and George Harvey (Highland at Dingwall) were selected by the Sheriff Principal to assist him with the sift process and thereafter, interviews for the new statutory Justices Committees. Given the high numbers of excellent applicants, this was no simple task. After a great deal of hard work, a day’s sifting, training, 3 days interviewing and careful consideration by the panel however (having regard also for the need, in so far as possible, for a reasonable representation of Justices from across the Sheriffdom), the Sheriff Principal, made appointments in respect of both Committees as follows:-

Justice of the Peace Advisory Committee

This committee comprises 7-10 members, including a minimum of 3 lay members, plus the Sheriff Principal (Convener). The committee is responsible for recruitment and appointment of new JPs. The first meeting was held in Inverness on 30 October 2007 and will be followed by a meeting on 31 January 2008 again in Inverness.

The membership of the JPAC is as follows:-

1. Allan Clasper, JP (Highland at Wick DC)
2. Duncan Edmonston, JP (Aberdeenshire at Inverurie DC)
3. Patricia Greenwood, JP (Moray – Elgin DC)
4. Sheila Henderson, JP (Aberdeen City – Aberdeen DC)
5. Iain Macleod, JP (Western Isles – Stornoway DC)
6. Graham McCombie, JP (Aberdeenshire at Peterhead DC)
7. Shauna Reith, JP (Aberdeen City – Aberdeen DC)

And 3 lay members

1. Megan Cambridge (Elgin)
2. James Ingram (Peterhead)
3. James Lennon (Nairn)

Justices’ Appraisal Committee

This committee comprises 5-8 JPs and is responsible for designing and implementing a scheme of appraisal. The first meeting was held in Aberdeen on 31 October 2007 and was held jointly with the Justices’ Training Committee. The next meeting will be held in Elgin on 14 December 2007 and will again be a joint meeting with the JTC.

The membership of the JAC is as follows:-

1. Allan Clasper, JP (Highland at Wick)
2. Jane Gilmour, JP (Moray – Elgin)
3. Audrey Jeffries, JP (Aberdeensire at Inverurie)
4. Susan Kirkwood, JP (Aberdeen City – Aberdeen)
5. Margaret MacKay, JP (Moray – Elgin)
6. Thomas Mason, JP (Aberdeen City – Aberdeen)
7. Rodger Neilson, JP (Aberdeenshire at Peterhead)
8. Mike Pickthall, JP (Moray – Elgin)

Justices Training Committee

This committee comprises the same JPs as are on the appraisal committee plus a sheriff and legal adviser. The committee is responsible for preparing by February (and thereafter reviewing, monitoring and reporting on) an annual training plan for the year April to March. The meetings for this committee have been held in conjunction with the JAC as detailed above.

The membership of the JTC is as follows:-

1. JPs as JAC
2. Sheriff Alisdair MacFadyen, Dingwall and Inverness
3. Kay M Polson, Sheriffdom Legal Adviser, Grampian, Highland and Islands

Signing Provisions

Up to 10 December 2007 certain formal documents could be validly signed by a JP, and in order to meet this need each Local Authority had a list of signing JPs, as well as, bench serving JPs. These lists were held by Courts, Libraries and Registrars. From 10 December 2007 there are no longer signing-only JPs and as such only bench serving JPs will be able to sign documents. Former JPs may still be able to sign documents, such as passport applications and shotgun license applications, but they can only sign in a personal capacity, having known the applicant for 2 years, they can not sign as current JPs.

A list of JPs eligible to sign these documents within GH&I is available through this link and further information can be found at the local District Courts, the telephone numbers for which are given. Link to GH&I JPs

In order to ensure that members of the public still have access to a range of potential counter-signatories, from 10 December 2007 there is provision for local councilors to sign documents previously open to JPs only. For a list of local Councilors and the arrangements for Councilor’s signing duties please contact your Local Authority.