The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service has published today the latest monthly workbook to show the throughput of criminal cases in our courts.
Monthly Workbook
This shows the volumes of cases being progressed each month in the High Court, Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Courts from April 2020, compared against the monthly averages for 2019/20 (pre-COVID).
The figures show that during June 2023:
- The overall level of new cases registered is 87% of the average pre-COVID level.
- The overall level of cases concluded is 90% of the average pre-COVID level.
- Petitions, which provide a useful indicator of future solemn business, are 27% higher than the average monthly pre-COVID level.
- 68 High Court evidence led trials commenced which is 164% of the average pre-COVID level.
- 110 High Court cases were concluded, which is 164% of the average pre-COVID level.
- The average time between pleading diet and evidence led trial is 43 weeks for High Court, compared to the pre-COVID level of 22 weeks.
- 125 sheriff solemn evidence led trials commenced which is 132% of the average pre-COVID level.
- 633 sheriff solemn cases were concluded which is 130% of the average pre-COVID level.
- The average time between pleading diet and evidence led trial is 44 weeks for sheriff solemn, compared to the pre-COVID level of 11 weeks.
- 462 sheriff summary evidence led trials commenced, which is 80% of the average pre-COVID levels
- 5,274 sheriff summary cases were concluded which is 102% of the average pre-COVID level.
- The average time between pleading diet and evidence led trial is 34 weeks for sheriff summary, compared to the pre-COVID level of 23 weeks.
- 1,610 Justice of the Peace cases were concluded which is 58% of the average pre-COVID level.
- The average time between pleading diet and evidence led trial is 49 weeks for Justice of the Peace, compared to the pre-COVID level of 22 weeks.
David Fraser, SCTS Executive Director Court Operations said:
“Through the court recovery programme we are aiming to return to a point where the number of scheduled cases being prepared for trial is around 20,000. Given the progress made on the summary backlog, we switched court recovery resources from summary to solemn, with the introduction of a further 2 additional High Court and 6 additional Sheriff Solemn trial courts.
“Solemn cases, which involve the most serious crimes, are more challenging as the long term trend of increasing case levels continued throughout the pandemic. The switch shows that solemn throughput has increased significantly.
"Strong collaboration across the judiciary, justice organisations, the legal profession and the third sector is helping to effectively manage court business, this will become even more important now that the solemn recovery programme has been extended.”