Dumfries Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
If you want to pay your fine or would like information and advice please visit our Pay a Fine page.
Sheriffdom orders
The following Sheriffdom guidance, information and practice notes apply to this court.
Please also refer to the Rules and Practice section of the website.
5. SSDG Act of Court No 5 of 2023 Custody Guidance 2023 (September 2023 | PDF | 207.75 KB | 26 Sep, 2023 |
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4. SSDG Act of Court No 4 of 2023 Public Holidays 2023 | PDF | 230.12 KB | 14 Aug, 2023 |
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3. SSDG Act of Court No 3 of 2023 - Public Holidays 2024 | PDF | 195.17 KB | 20 Jun, 2023 |
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SSDG Act of Court No 1 of 2023 Public Holiday 2023 | PDF | 172.46 KB | 06 Apr, 2023 |
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SSDG Act of Court No 3 of 2022 Public Holiday 2023 (Superseded) | PDF | 152.73 KB | 16 Jan, 2023 |
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Final - Sheriffs Principal Guidance for Court Users - Electronic Submission of Documents | PDF | 227.19 KB | 24 Oct, 2022 |
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SSDG Act of Court No 2 of 2022 (19 September 2022) | PDF | 68.13 KB | 15 Sep, 2022 |
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Management of Proceedings in the Sheriff Courts (July 2022) | PDF | 181.07 KB | 20 Jul, 2022 |
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Guidance for Court Users - Child Welfare Hearings | PDF | 172.56 KB | 13 Jul, 2022 |
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Management of Summary Cause Proceedings Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 | PDF | 193.24 KB | 11 Jul, 2022 |
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SSDG Act of Court No 1 of 2021 - public holidays and custody courts 2022 | PDF | 205.77 KB | 12 Aug, 2021 |
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Guidance for Practitioners and Litigants - Adoption Proceedings | PDF | 74.76 KB | 11 May, 2021 |
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SSDG Order of Court No 15 of 2021: Dumfries & Stranraer – Transfer of Solemn Trial Diets and the Lists of Potential Jurors | PDF | 85.13 KB | 10 Mar, 2021 |
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SSDG Order of Court No 24: Transfer of Solemn Trial Diets and the Lists of Potential Jurors | PDF | 81.82 KB | 27 Nov, 2020 |
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Guidance for Practitioners and Litigants – Management of Civil Business 22.10.20 | PDF | 411.36 KB | 22 Oct, 2020 |
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Act of Court No 6 (Public Holidays 2021) | PDF | 207.29 KB | 25 Sep, 2020 |
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Practice Note no.15 of 2020: Orders in terms of section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 | PDF | 215.76 KB | 19 Jun, 2020 |
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Practice Note no.14 of 2020: Children’s Referrals and Related Applications under the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2014 | PDF | 460.13 KB | 19 Jun, 2020 |
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Refixing Diets upon the Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in respect of Solemn and Summary Criminal Business in Dumfries Sheriff Court
Order No 5 of 2022
Dumfries Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Court is an imposing building that was constructed in the Scottish Baronial Style from a design by David Rhind. The tall peaked towers and open Italianate parapets give it the characteristics of a castle and the softer lines of a palace. Originally on the site of a town hall that had been built as an independent place of worship and sold on to the county authorities the building was enlarged, adapted and opened as a Court House in April 1866.
Contact details
Postal address
Sheriff Court House,
Buccleuch Street,
Dumfries,
DG1 2AN
Main telephone
01387 262334
Sheriff Clerk / Main contact
Elizabeth Young
DX
580617
Fax
01387 262357
All commissary work carried out
Email
dumfries@scotcourts.gov.uk
Jury helpline
01387 272086 - (with recorded message for jurors).
Accessibility contact
If you require the support of an interpreter when you contact a court (by phone or attend in person), a telephone interpretation service is available. To access this service ask for telephone interpreting and the language required. This service is NOT available during actual court proceedings.
If you use British Sign Language (BSL) and wish to phone us using a sign language interpreter, you can use the online video relay interpreting service. For more information see the contactSCOTLAND website. www.contactscotland-bsl.org
Directions
By bus
Buses from outlying areas stop in Whitesands. Local buses stop in various streets close to the court.
By rail
The nearest train station is approximately a ten minute walk. Visit scotrail or national rail enquiries for train times.
By car
There is no public car parking available at this court. The nearest long stay car park is at Whitesands (5 minutes walk). A disk system operates in most other areas. Disks can be obtained from shops, libraries and various other places within Dumfries. A limited supply is held by the court.
By taxi
There are taxi ranks in Munches Street, the Whitesands and Bank Street.
On arrival
On arrival, please report to reception on the ground floor. You will be directed from there as to where you need to go to in the building. If reception is unmanned please report to the sheriff clerk's office on the ground floor.
If you are attending for jury duty please come to the main reception where you will be directed to the jury reception desk.
There is a lift for disabled users only. Please ask a member of staff at reception or in the sheriff clerk's office for assistance. If you have any specific access requirements please contact the sheriff clerk. Language line facilities are available for anyone who requires the support of an interpreter.
Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service offers the services of an in court advisor on every 4th Thursday.
They are able to offer advice and guidance on civil matters:
- eviction
- re-possession
- debt
- small claims
- attending court
- representation
Their office is at 81-85 Irish Street, Dumfries, Tel 01387 266886
Facilities
There are a number of locations within a short walk where hot and cold drinks and snacks can be bought.
A loop induction service is available in all courtrooms for people who have hearing difficulties. Please contact the sheriff clerk if you require to use this facility.
Pay a Fine
If you want to pay your fine or would like information and advice please visit our Pay a Fine page.
Opening times
Mon - Thurs 09.00 - 17.00
Fri 09.00 - 16.30
Dumfries Sheriff Court will be closing for half a day per month for training. When they are closed anyone with urgent business should contact Ayr Sheriff Court The offices will close from 13:00 until 17:00
Urgent matters or any urgent applications during these periods please contact Ayr Sheriff Court on ayr@scotcourts.gov.uk or ayrcivil@scotcourts.gov.uk or 01292 292200
Any enquires regarding the above please contact Elizabeth Young.
Public Holidays
2023
January 2, 3
April 7, 10
May 1, 8
June 5
September 4
October 9
December 4, 25, 26
Complaints
Please refer to the complaints and feedback page.
Useful Links