The Justiciary Office provides the administrative services for the High Court of Justiciary and the Court of Criminal Appeal. The offices are situated within Parliament House, Edinburgh and there is also an office in the High Court in Glasgow.
First Instance (East)
This section is responsible for administrative support to High Court Sittings throughout Scotland with the exception of Glasgow. It instructs the Sheriff Clerk of the appropriate district to issue citations to potential jurors. It deals with enquiries from potential jurors regarding jury duty including applications for excusal. The section acts as a liaison point for all reports requested in relation to High Court trials.
First Instance (West)
This office is located within the High Court of Justiciary, Saltmarket, Glasgow. It provides the administrative support for all cases calling in Glasgow. The High Court building in Glasgow is under the supervision of the First Instance Manger West who has the day to day responsibility for the administration and management of staff along with the programming of the Court business for Glasgow and the West of Scotland in consultation with the Crown.
Criminal Appeals
The Criminal Appeals section processes all appeals in solemn cases - the procedure where during a trial the presiding judge sits with a jury. It requests reports from the judge who heard the case, sends these to the appellant and the Crown and processes applications for leave to appeal. It sends notice of the result to parties. Where leave to appeal is granted, the section assign cases to the appropriate Court and eventually send details of the outcome to the prison service, police records office and the lower court. If leave to appeal is refused it sends details of the outcome to the prison service, police records office and the lower court and issues any warrant to the appropriate authorities. The staff in the section also deal with a range of queries in relation to the above matters whether from correspondence, telephone calls or persons attending at the public counter.
Justiciary Appeals
The Justiciary Appeals section processes all appeals in summary cases the procedure where during a trial the presiding judge sits without a jury. The section processes applications for leave to appeal and notifies parties of the result. Where leave to appeal is granted, the section assign cases to the appropriate Court and eventually send details of the outcome to the prison service, police records office and the lower court. If leave to appeal is refused it sends details of the outcome to the prison service, police records office and the lower court and issues any warrant to the appropriate authorities. The staff in the section also deal with a range of queries whether by post, telephone or from persons attending at the public counter. The staff within this section also process bail appeals from the Sheriff and District Courts throughout Scotland.