Lochmaddy Sheriff 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, 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.

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 and Perth)
Falkirk Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Stirling and Alloa)
Kirkcaldy Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Dunfermline)

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 Sherrif 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.

Lochmaddy Sheriff Court is situated in the village of Lochmaddy in the Isle of North Uist in the Western Isles. The court jurisdiction covers the islands of North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay, Barra, Vatersay and Berneray.

Contact Details

Address

Sheriff Court House, Lochmaddy, Isle of North Uist, HS6 5AE

Postal address

Please Note: All mail should be posted to the Sheriff Clerk’s Office, Sheriff Courthouse, Somerled Square, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9EH

Main telephone

01478 612191

01876 500340

Sheriff Clerk / Main contact

Stewart Retsis

Fax

01478 613203

Email

lochmaddy@scotcourts.gov.uk

Jury helpline

01876 500340 (recorded message)

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

Public transport to the court is very limited. Use journey planner for public transportation information.

By bus

There is no direct bus service to the court.

By car

There is no public car park at the court. There are parking places at the local community hall next to the court.

By taxi

• 01870 602277
• 07879 221414
• 01876 500215
• 01870 602277
• 01870 603197

By air

The nearest airport is at Balivanich on Benbecula(tel 01870 602051).

The airport is situated approximately 30 minutes drive from the court. By ferry: Contact Caledonian MacBrayne online at www.calmac.co.uk or0800 066 5000 (freephone).

On Arrival

On arrival please report to the Sheriff Clerk's office. You will be directed from there to where you need to go in the building. There is disabled access at the side of the building. If you have any specific access requirements please contact 01478 612191.

The office is only open every fourth Tuesday and Wednesday when the court is sitting. At other times please contact the Sheriff Clerk's office in Portree on 01478 612191.If you have a text phone you can contact the court using Text Relay.A phone based interpreter service is available - ask for Language Line and the language required.

Facilities

There are a small number of cafes and hotels near to the court building where meals and snacks can be purchased. There are no refreshment facilities at the court. 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 01876 500340 if you require to use this facility.

Pay a Fine

Pay a fine online or at the fines office in the main Sheriff Clerk's office or by phone.

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

0845 6025228

Opening Times

Every fourth Tuesday 09:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, and every fourth Wednesday09:00 to 11:00. At other times contact the Sheriff Clerk's office in Portree on 01478 612191 or e-mail lochmaddy@scotcourts.gov.uk.

Public Holidays

2020
January 1, 2

April 10, 13

May 8

June 8

August 17

September 14

November 30

December 25, 28

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
• Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
• Police Scotland

Accessibility