Kirkwall Sheriff Court
Latest covid-19 information
Please check the latest covid-19 information.
Hearings continue to call at Kirkwall Sheriff Court
Jury trials which would otherwise call at Kirkwall Sheriff Court were transferred to Inverness from July this year, due to the ongoing staffing challenges being faced by GEOAmey.
We would like to make it clear that all other hearings, including summary trials and civil hearings will still call at Kirkwall Sheriff Court. Please only attend Inverness Sheriff Court if you have received a citation requiring you to do so.
The Order published in July requires new jury trials which would have called at Stornoway, Lerwick, Kirkwall, Portree and Lochmaddy Sheriff Courts to call at Inverness, Aberdeen or Peterhead Sheriff Courts instead.
Sheriff Principal Pyle has this order under constant review and is consulting with justice partners with a view to returning jury trials to island courts when practically possible.
If you want to pay your fine or would like information and advice please visit our Pay a Fine page.
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.
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.
| GHI – Order No 1 of 2024 – Return of Solemn Hearings to Sheriff Court Buildings | PDF | 392.56 KB | 13 Feb, 2024 |
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| GHI Act of Court No 4 of 2023 | PDF | 46.42 KB | 26 Sep, 2023 |
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| GHI Act of Court No 2 of 2022 - Public & Court Holidays 2023 | PDF | 709.35 KB | 28 Nov, 2022 |
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| GHI Act of Court No 2 of 2023 – Public Holidays 2023 Amendment | PDF | 492.67 KB | 22 Aug, 2023 |
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| GHI Act of Court No 3 of 2023 – Public Holidays 2024 | PDF | 501.26 KB | 22 Aug, 2023 |
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| GHI - Order No. 3 of 2023 - Transfer of Island Court Trials to Sheriffdom Hub Courts | PDF | 401.16 KB | 19 Jul, 2023 |
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| GHI Act of Court No 1 of 2023 | PDF | 32.64 KB | 10 Feb, 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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| PN no.3 of 2022 - PIDM (003) | PDF | 361.90 KB | 19 Oct, 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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| Guidance Civil No 2 | PDF | 244.24 KB | 19 Jun, 2020 |
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| Electronic submission of documents Civil No 4 of 2020 | PDF | 104.73 KB | 26 Jun, 2020 |
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| Guidance for Practitioners and Litigants - Adoption Proceedings GHI | PDF | 104.39 KB | 21 May, 2021 |
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| Civil Guidance - Video Conference Call | PDF | 126.59 KB | 03 Sep, 2021 |
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| 2022 Custody Direction | PDF | 239.43 KB | 19 Oct, 2021 |
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Kirkwall Sheriff Court was opened on 27 August 1877. The building was designed by David Bryce, one of Scotland's most important Victorian architects. The courthouse sits between the Historic Scotland sites of the Earls and Bishops Palaces. The building has one courtroom and sheriff chambers as well as office accommodation for the Sheriff clerk depute and the Procurator Fiscal Service.
Kirkwall Sheriff Court covers the whole of the Orkney Islands area.
Visiting Kirkwall Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court - Word version
Visiting Kirkwall Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court - PDF version
Contact Details
Postal address
Sheriff Court House,
Watergate,
Kirkwall,
Orkney,
KW15 1PD
Main telephone
01856 872110
Sheriff Clerk / Main contact
Laura Beth Macvie (Depute)
All commissary work carried out
Email
kirkwall@scotcourts.gov.uk
DX 557986 Kirkwall
Jury helpline
01856 872110 is available from 17.00 the day prior to a sitting
Accessibility contact
If you want to contact us using text relay please follow the guidance at this link -
the Next Generation Text Service
If you require the support of an interpreter when you contact the office (by phone or attend in person), a telephone interpretation service is available. To access this service ask for telephone interpreting and the language required.
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
www.contactscotland-bsl.org Directions
The sheriff court is in the centre of town and public transport is available. Use the
journey planner for public transportation information.
On Arrival
On arrival please enter the sheriff clerk's public office, first door on the left. If you are attending for jury duty please come to the public office.
Wheelchair users can access the building via a ramp to the main entrance.
If you have any specific access requirements please contact: Laura Beth Macvie, Sheriff Clerk Depute.
Languageline facilities are available for anyone who requires the support of an interpreter.
Facilities
There are a number of local cafes and restaurants near to the court building.
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 court 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
Monday to Thursday 09:00 - 16:30
Friday 09:00 - 16:00
The office closes for lunch between 13:00 - 14:00
The court sits 7 days a month.
Week 1 – Tuesday Civil; Wednesday Crime
Week 2 – No Court Scheduled
Week 3 – Monday Proofs/Trials; Tuesday Civil; Wednesday Crime; Thursday Trials; Friday Trials (business need dependent)
Week 4 – No Court Scheduled
Public holidays
2024
- January 1, 2
- March 29
- April 1
- May 6
- June 3
- August 5
- September 23
- December 2, 25, 26
Complaints
Please refer to the
complaints and feedback page.
Useful Links
Accessibility