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 July 2024:

• The overall level of new cases registered is 99% of the average pre-COVID level.
• The overall level of cases concluded is 105% of the average pre-COVID level.
• Petitions, which provide a useful indicator of future solemn business, are 17% higher when compared with the average monthly pre-COVID level.
  
  

High Court

• 61 High Court evidence led trials commenced which is 147% of the average pre-COVID level.
• 86 High Court cases were concluded, which is 128% of the average pre-COVID level.
• The average time between pleading diet and evidence led trial is 42 weeks for High Court, compared to the pre-COVID level of 22 weeks.

Sheriff Solemn

• 101 sheriff solemn evidence led trials commenced which is 107% of the average pre-COVID level.
• 672 sheriff solemn cases were concluded which is 138% of the average pre-COVID level.
• The average time between pleading diet and evidence led trial is 35 weeks for sheriff solemn, compared to the pre-COVID level of 11 weeks.

Sheriff Summary

• 492 sheriff summary evidence led trials commenced, which is 85% of the average pre-COVID levels
• 6006 sheriff summary cases were concluded which is 116% of the average pre-COVID level.
• The average time between pleading diet and evidence led trial is 36 weeks for sheriff summary, compared to the pre-COVID level of 23 weeks.

Justice of the Peace

• 2176 Justice of the Peace cases were concluded which is 79% of the average pre-COVID level.
• The average time between pleading diet and evidence led trial is 28 weeks for Justice of the Peace, compared to the pre-COVID level of 22 weeks.