Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court

Coronavirus - COVID19
Please check here for the latest information

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Important arrangements during the Coronavirus outbreak

This court is open for business, including first instance custody cases, but please note the following arrangements at this time.

This court is only open to staff, judiciary, those with permanent office accommodation, media or parties who are directly involved in cases being heard in the building and who have been requested to attend at court.

Where court cases require personal appearance, intimation will have been made to parties in advance of the court date.

There is no public counter and members of the public will not be permitted to enter, unless requested by the court.

Fines can be paid online and by phone. See Fines Payment for latest information.

 

Sheriffdom orders during Coronavirus

The following Sheriffdom guidance, information and practice notes apply to this court.

Please also refer to the Rules and Practice section of the website.

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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 details

Postal address

Sheriff Court House,
27 Chambers Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1LB

Main telephone

0131 225 2525

Sheriff Clerk / Main contact

Les McIntosh 

Civil department contact - 0131 225 2525, Option 5 

Simple Procedure – As above, option 1
Personal Injury Actions – As above, option 2
Family actions, including divorces, all children related actions and Adults With Incapacity – As above, option 3
Commercial Actions, including Bankruptcy and Liquidations – As above, option 4
Ordinary Actions – As above, option 5

Commissary Department, including dealing with a deceased person's estate – 0131 225 2525, Option 4

Criminal department contact –  0131 225 2525, Option 3

All criminal enquiries – As above, Option 1

Fines Payment and Fines enquiries – 0131 225 2525 – Option 2

Fines payment – As Above, Option 1

Fines Enquiries, including Fines Enforcement – As Above, Option 2

Jury Enquiries –  0131 225 2525, Option 1

For cited jurors, call the number listed on the citation after 5pm on the day before attending court - 0800 169 2296

For all other Jury enquiries, including Jury Expenses – As above, option 1

Justice of the Peace Signing Appointments

Appointments can be made to request a Justice of the Peace to sign certain types of documents at the court. Please call 0131 225 2525 and select option 6 to request an appointment. Please note that if the document requires a Notary Public’s signature or Commissioner for Oath’s signature, it cannot be signed by a Justice of the Peace and you must make an appointment to see a solicitor who is a Notary Public. Visit https://www.lawscot.org.uk/find-a-solicitor.  

For more information go to Signing Documents

DX

550312 Civil Department

550313 Commissary Department

550308 Criminal Department

550311 ASSPIC  

 

Fax

Civil Department: 0131 225 8899

Email

General Enquiries: edinburgh@scotcourts.gov.uk

Personal Injury: edinburghpersonalinjury@scotcourts.gov.uk

Fines: FinesLB@scotcourts.gov.uk

AWI: edinburghawi@scotcourts.gov.uk

Commissary - CRU@scotcourts.gov.uk

Commercial: edinburghcommercial@scotcourts.gov.uk

Family: edinburghfamily@scotcourts.gov.uk

Children’s Referrals: edinburghreferrals@scotcourts.gov.uk

Ordinary Cause: edinburghordinary@scotcourts.gov.uk

Simple Procedure / Summary Cause: edinburghsummcause@scotcourts.gov.uk

ASSPIC e-motions: national.motions@scotcourts.gov.uk

ASSPIC: NationalPICourt@scotcourts.gov.uk

Conjoined Arrestment Orders (Lothian and Borders: caoedinburgh@scotcourts.gov.uk

Jury helpline

0800 169 2296

For any urgent enquiry you can speak to a member of the jury team on 0131 225 2525 ext 232809.

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

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 ten 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 Chamber Street. Off street parking is available Mon - Sun: 06.00 - 22.00 at NCP, St John's Hill, 2 Viewcraig Gardens, Edinburgh, EH8 9UQ.

By taxi

There is a taxi rank 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.

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 e-mailing: Edinburgh@scotcourtstribunals.gov.uk; telephone 0131 247 2802 or speak to reception staff on your arrival at court.

Hearing loops are installed in all courts and public counters.

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.

A loop induction service is available in all courtrooms for people who have hearing difficulties. Please contact 0131 247 2563 if you require to use this facility.

Pay a Fine

Pay a fine online or at the fines payment office is located to the left as you go through the security portals after entering the building.

Payment Methods: Cash, Debit Card, Credit Card, Cheque or Postal Order.

(please do not send cash through the post).

Please make cheques and postal orders payable to "Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service"

send by post to:

Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Central Processing Unit, PO Box 23, Glasgow, G5 9DA

Fines payments: 0131 247 2580/2566/2579 Fines enforcement: 0131 225 2525 (option 1)

Opening times

Mon - Thurs 09:00 - 17:00

Fri 09:00 - 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 online at http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/taking-action/pay-a-fine or you may phone the automated payment line on 0300 790 0003

For Out of Hours Applications please phone 0131 225 2595

Public Holidays

2020
January 1, 2

April 10, 13, 20

May 8, 18

September 21 (a court will sit at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to deal with persons appearing from custody on this day)

November 30 (a court will sit at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to deal with persons appearing from custody on this day. This court will also deal with custodies who would normally appear at either Jedburgh or Selkirk Sheriff Courts)

December 25, 28 (a court will sit at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Sunday 27 December to deal with persons appearing from custody on this day. This court will also deal with custodies who would normally appear at Jedburgh, Selkirk or Livingston Sheriff Courts)

NOTE: A court will sit at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Saturday 2 January 2021 to deal with persons appearing from custody. This court will also deal with custodies who would normally appear at either Jedburgh or Selkirk Sheriff Courts.

Complaints

Please refer to the complaints and feedback page.

Useful Links

• Procurator Fiscal
• Victim Support Scotland
• Scottish Prison Service
• Office of the Public Guardian
• Scottish Children's Reporter
• Edinburgh City Council
• Police Scotland
• Aberdeenshire Council v JM