Criminal Courts Rules Council

The Criminal Courts Rules Council was established under section 304 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.

Current Membership

• The Lord Justice General
• The Lord Justice Clerk (Chair)
• The Clerk of Justiciary (Yvonne Taylor)
• Sheriff Alastair Brown
• Sheriff Gillian Wade KC
• Kenny Donnelly (Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)
• Professor James Chalmers (University of Glasgow)
• Ian Dickson (Scottish Legal Aid Board)
• The Hon. Lord Matthews
• Peter Lockhart (Solicitor)
• Anna Donald (Scottish Government)
• Sheriff Norman McFadyen (Appeal Sheriff)
• Stuart Fair (Justice of the Peace)
• Kate Wallace (Victim Support Scotland) 
• Gail Smith (Sheriff Clerk) 
• Shelagh McCall KC (Faculty of Advocates) 
• John Scullion KC (Faculty of Advocates) 
• Ruth McQuaid (Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)
• The Hon. Lord Beckett
• Stuart Munro (Solicitor)

Agendas, minutes and public papers

Functions

• To keep under general review the procedures and practices of the courts exercising criminal jurisdiction in Scotland;
• To consider and comment on any draft Act of Adjournal submitted to it by the High Court.

Membership criteria

The criteria for membership of the Council are set out in sections 304(2) and (3) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. The Lord Justice General, the Lord Justice Clerk and the Clerk of Justiciary hold office ex officio. The other members of the Council are appointed by the Lord Justice General under section 304(2)(b) to (f). A further member is appointed by the Scottish Ministers under section 304(2)(f). Members, other than ex officio members, hold office for three years and are eligible for reappointment provided that they retain the qualifications for membership.

Secretariat

• Edward McHugh, Deputy Legal Secretary to the Lord President