Important arrangements during the Coronavirus outbreak
This court is open for business, 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.
If you want to pay your fine or would like information and advice please visit our Pay a Fine page.
Commissary
Guidance was issued on 29 April 2020 stating that all commissary would restart from 1 May 2020 and sent to the relevant hub courts.
With effect from 1 June 2020 all commissary applications will be processed locally within all of the courts within Tayside Central and Fife.
Small estate interviews are not taking place within the court buildings at this time, please contact your local Sheriff Court for more information and guidance.
Hub Courts for new, first instance custodies
New, first instance custody cases will continue to be heard in hub courts as first instance cases in each Sheriffdom as follows. Thereafter, if a further substantive hearing is assigned this will be to the court of local jurisdiction.
Glasgow and Strathkelvin
Glasgow Sheriff and JP Court
Lothian and Borders
Lothian and Borders no longer operates the Hub court system. All business, including first instance custody cases, has returned to local courts.
Edinburgh Sheriff and JP Court
Livingston Sheriff and JP Court
Jedburgh Sheriff and JP Court
Selkirk Sheriff and JP Court
Tayside, Central and Fife
Dundee Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Forfar)
Dunfermline Sheriff and JP Court (from 5 July, for the Dunfermline jurisdiction only)
Falkirk Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Stirling and Alloa)
Kirkcaldy Sheriff and JP Court (new Annexe, Brycedale Ave)
Perth Sheriff and JP Court (from 2 November, for the Perth jurisdiction only)
Grampian, Highland and Islands
Inverness Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Elgin, Fort William, Portree, Tain and Wick. Island custody courts will be dealt with on a case by case basis)
Aberdeen Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Peterhead and Banff)
North Strathclyde
Paisley Sheriff and JP Court
Kilmarnock Sheriff and JP Court
Greenock Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Dunoon)
Dumbarton Sheriff Court and JP Court (business transferring from Oban and Campbeltown)
South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
Ayr Sheriff Court and JP Court
Hamilton Sheriff Court and JP Court
Dumfries Sheriff Court and JP Court (business transferring from Stranraer)
Airdrie Sheriff Court and JP Court (business transferring from Lanark)
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.
The Foundation Stone of the present Sheriff Court building was laid on 5 August 1869 by the Earl of Dalhousie. On 2 February 1871 Sheriff Robertson opened the present Sheriff Court building created by the architect Mr Wardrope, and described it as ‘handsome and commodious'.
There is a splendid ‘Hammer-Beam' roof in court one and escutcheons on the abutments carrying the roof arches exhibit carvings of a Thistle, a Rose, a Shamrock and a Daffodil, the emblems of Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.
Postal address
Sheriff Court House,
Market Street,
Forfar,
DD8 3LA
Main telephone
01307 462186
Sheriff Clerk / Main contact
Kay Hendry
All commissary work carried out
DX
DX 530674
Email
forfar@scotcourts.gov.uk
Access note
It is not permitted to take photos, or to film, from the private ground at the rear of the court.
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
The court is situated on a hill to the north of the town just off Brechin Road.
All buses pass through the town centre and all bus stops are well marked with regard to their route. The town centre is about a 10 minute walk from the court building.
Use the journey planner for public transportation information.
By bus
For up to date timetables or to plan your journey visit stagecoach.
By rail
There is no rail station in Forfar, the nearest are at Dundee and Arbroath. Visit ScotRail or National Rail Enquiries for train times.
By car
There is no public parking at the court, however there is a large public car park behind the council buildings next to the court.
By taxi
There is a taxi rank in Castle Street about 10 minutes walk from the court.
On arrival, please report at reception or the Sheriff Clerk's Office. You will be directed from there to where you need to go.
If you are attending for jury duty please report at reception.
There is disabled access and parking at the rear of the building. If you have any specific access requirements please contact the sheriff clerk. Languageline facilities are available for anyone who requires the support of an interpreter.
There are refreshments available from vending machines in the foyer.
There are a number of cafes and sandwich shops nearby, a list of which is in the foyer.
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 the sheriff clerk if you require to use this facility.
If you want to pay your fine or would like information and advice please visit our Pay a Fine page.
Mon - Thurs 09.00 - 17.00
Fri 09.00 - 16.30