From 1 April, the Scottish Court Service (SCS) is no longer a Government Agency, responsible to Scottish Ministers, but an independent body, governed by a Corporate Board and chaired by the Lord President, the most senior judge in Scotland.

The new arrangements, set out in the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008, are intended to improve the justice system by modernising the arrangements for the judiciary and strengthening the relationship between the judiciary and the Scottish Court Service (SCS).

In addition to the Lord President, the Scottish Court Service Board includes 12 other members – six members from different tiers of the judiciary and six non-judicial members, including the SCS Chief Executive, an advocate, a solicitor and three members with experience and knowledge from other backgrounds, including business, finance and administration.

The SCS Board will develop the strategic direction for the Scottish Court Service and deliver an operationally effective SCS, which is responsible for providing the staff, buildings and technology to support Scotland’s courts, the work of the independent judiciary, the courts’ Rules Councils and the Office of the Public Guardian.

The new SCS will work closely with the judiciary, Scottish Government, other justice agencies, professional bodies and consumer and court user organisations to help maintain and strengthen public confidence in the Justice system.

The Rt Hon Lord Hamilton, the Lord President and Chair of the SCS Board said:

"The changes taking place today - the creation of a Scottish Court Service under the direction of an independent Board and the creation of a unified judiciary - are important constitutional changes. The effect will be to place the Scottish Court Service decision-making process closer to those who are directly involved in the delivery of justice. I believe the new arrangements will provide an opportunity for the creation of a better and closer relationship between judicial office holders and staff, working together to deliver to the public the sound and prompt judgments to which it is entitled.

The members of the Board have among them a wide range of knowledge, skills and experience of working within the courts, in government and in the commercial sector. This breadth of understanding will help us develop the direction of the Scottish Court

Service and the delivery of services to all those who have need to use them. It will allow us, over the next few months, to consider and develop the strategic direction for the Service. We face, along with the public sector generally, difficult financial conditions. We must not underestimate the challenges this presents."

Kenny MacAskill Cabinet Secretary said:

"Today marks a milestone in the work being done to modernise and strengthen arrangements for the Scottish judiciary and administration of the courts. It is fundamental to any democracy that the judiciary is independent of the legislative and executive branches of government."

Notes:
Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008 

SCS Board Members

Full list and details of the Scottish Court Service Board members

SCS Chief Executive

Eleanor Emberson has been appointed as Chief Executive to the new organisation. Ms Emberson has been Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service since 2004

General

The Scottish Court Service remains part of the Scottish Administration and staff continue to be civil servants.

SCS and Judicial Media Contact Arrangements from 1 April:

Please note from 1 April, Scottish Government Justice Communications will no longer provide a media service for the Scottish Court Service.

For all matters relating to the Scottish Court Service or its new Board please contact: Susan Whiteford Head of SCS Corporate Communications 0131 444 3310

Any enquiries relating to judicial matters, including the Lord President as Head of Judiciary, please contact: Elizabeth Cutting Head of Judicial Communications
0131 240 6854