Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court

• About the court
• Accessibility
• Complaints and feedback
• Contact the court
• Court Rolls
• Difficulty using the phone
• Directions to court
• Facilities
• Justice of the Peace Signing Appointments
• Latest covid-19 information
• On arrival
• Opening times
• Pay a fine
• Public holidays
• Useful websites

About the court

The Edinburgh Sheriff Court building opened to the public in September 1994. It is the largest of the courts within Lothian and Borders, serving a population of approximately 450,000 people. The Justice of the Peace Court was established in the same building on 10 March 2008.

This is a large building with eight levels and the public entrance is located on level 4 and is accessed from Chambers Street. There are security portals located at the main entrance and everyone entering the building will be subjected to a security check.

Contact the court

Location and postal address

Sheriff Court House
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB

Sheriff Clerk

Les McIntosh

DX

• Civil Department - 550312 Edinburgh 37
• Commissary Department - 550313 Edinburgh 37
• Criminal Department - 550308 Edinburgh 37
• ASSPIC - 550311 Edinburgh 37

Email

For general enquiries to Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court:

edinburgh@scotcourts.gov.uk

For juror enquiries:

• Juror Enquiries for Edinburgh Sheriff Court - edinburghscjurors@scotcourts.gov.uk
• Juror Enquiries for Edinburgh High Court - edinburghhcjurors@scotcourts.gov.uk

For specific enquiries:

• Adults With Incapacity (AWI) - edinburghawi@scotcourts.gov.uk
  
• ASSPIC - NationalPICourt@scotcourts.gov.uk
• ASSPIC e-motions - national.motions@scotcourts.gov.uk
• Children’s Referrals - edinburghreferrals@scotcourts.gov.uk
• Commercial - edinburghcommercial@scotcourts.gov.uk
• Commissary - CRU@scotcourts.gov.uk
  
• Conjoined Arrestment Orders (Lothian and Borders) - caoedinburgh@scotcourts.gov.uk
• Criminal Enquiries - edinburghcrime@scotcourts.gov.uk
• Family - edinburghfamily@scotcourts.gov.uk
• Fines - FinesLB@scotcourts.gov.uk
  
• Ordinary Cause - edinburghordinary@scotcourts.gov.uk
• Personal Injury - edinburghpersonalinjury@scotcourts.gov.uk
• Simple Procedure / Summary Cause - edinburghsummcause@scotcourts.gov.uk

Phone

0131 225 2525

• Option 1 - Jury Enquiries
• Option 2 - Fines Payment and Fines Enquiries
• Option 3 - Criminal Department
• Option 4 - Commissary Department
• Option 5 - Civil Department

Civil Department

Option 5 for the Civil Department includes the following additional options:

• Option 1 - Simple Procedure
• Option 2 - Personal Injury Actions
• Option 3 - Family actions, including divorces, all children related actions and Adults With Incapacity (AWI)
• Option 4 - Commercial Actions, including Bankruptcy and Liquidations
• Option 5 - Ordinary Actions

Commissary Department

Option 4 for the Commissary Department includes dealing with a deceased person's estate.

Criminal Department

Option 3 for the Criminal Department includes the following additional option:

• Option 1 - All Criminal Enquiries

Fines Payment and Fines Enquiries

Option 2 for Fines Payment and Fines Enquiries includes the following additional options:

• Option 1 - Fines Payment
• Option 2 - Fines Enquiries

Jury Enquiries

Option 1 for Jury Enquiries includes the following additional option:

• Option 1 - For all other Jury Enquiries, including Jury Expenses

Difficulty using the phone

Phone interpreter

A phone interpreter service is available when you contact a court by phone or attend in person. To access this service ask for phone interpreter and the language required.

The phone interpreter service is not available during actual court proceedings.

Text relay service

If you are deaf, have hearing loss or are speech impaired you can contact us for free with Relay UK.

British Sign Language (BSL)

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 Contact Scotland BSL website.

Opening times

• Monday to Thursday from 09:00 to 17:00
• Friday from 09:00 to 16:45

*Please note that the Civil Office is closed on the last Wednesday afternoon of every month for staff training. Urgent enquiries will be dealt with by telephoning 0131 247 2848.

*Please note that the Criminal/Cash Office is closed on the afternoon of the second Tuesday of every month for staff training. Fines payments will not be taken. You may pay a fine online or you may phone the automated payment line on 0300 790 0003

For Out of Hours Applications please phone 0131 225 2595

Public holidays

2024

• January 1, 2
• March 29
• April 1, 15
• May 6, 20
• September 16
• December 2, 25, 26

Justice of the Peace Signing Appointments

Personal signings will be available at Edinburgh Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Court each Friday afternoon from Friday, 3 November 2023.

Directions to court

Use the journey planner for public transportation information.

By bus

Several bus routes pass George IV Bridge or South Bridge including LRT buses 7, 23, 27, 28, 29. For up to date timetable see Lothian Buses or use the journey planner

By rail

The nearest rail station is approximately 15 minutes walk. Visit Scotrail or National rail enquiries for train times.

By car

The court is situated opposite the National Museum of Scotland and there are public parking meters and disabled parking available in Chambers Street. Off street parking is available Monday to Sunday from 06:00 to 22:00 at NCP, St John's Hill, 2 Viewcraig Gardens, Edinburgh, EH8 9UQ.

By taxi

There is a small taxi rank on Chambers Street next to the National Museum of Scotland, opposite the court entrance.

By air

The nearest airport is Edinburgh Airport (approximately 8 miles). There is a direct airport bus which arrives at Waverley Bridge, from there, the court building is a ten minute walk. For up to date timetables or to plan your journey visit Lothian buses or use the journey planner.

On arrival

If you are attending for a court hearing please check the notice boards or ask at the reception desk for directions to the court in which the hearing is scheduled. If unrepresented please let the court officials in that court room know you are in attendance so they can confirm the location and time your case will be heard.

Crown Witnesses (you are a prosecution witness) - please report to the witness muster area on level 3.

Jurors - Please report to the reception at the main Chambers Street entrance

Defence witnesses - Please report to the reception at the main Chambers Street entrance

If you are attending for jury duty please come to the main reception where you will be directed to the jury reception desk.

Facilities

There is a public restaurant located on Level 6 that is open from 09:00 to 14:00 Monday to Friday.

If you are sitting on a jury, lunch and refreshments will be provided for you if the court sits into the afternoon.

Accessibility

Accessible hearing

A loop induction service is available in all courtrooms and public counters for people who have hearing difficulties. Please contact 0131 225 2525 if you require to use this facility.

Accessible access

Wheelchair users can access the building through the main Chambers Street entrance. As you approach the front of the building the push button operated door is to the right. Should you require assistance on arrival please contact the Sheriff Clerk in advance by telephone 0131 247 2802 or by writing to the Sheriff Clerk.

If you require assistance to evacuate the building in an emergency please let us know in advance by emailing: Edinburgh@scotcourtstribunals.gov.uk; phone 0131 247 2802 or speak to reception staff on your arrival at court.