Portree 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.

Portree Sheriff Court House dates from 1865 and was designed by the architectural firm Matthews and Lawrie. The jurisdiction of the court covers the Islands of Skye, Raasay and part of Glenelg on the mainland.

Visiting Portree Sheriff Court - Word version
Visiting Portree Sheriff Court - PDF version

Contact Details

Postal address

Sheriff Clerk’s Office,
Sheriff Courthouse,
Somerled Square,
Portree,
Isle of Skye,
IV51 9EH

Main telephone

01478 612191

Sheriff Clerk / Main contact

Stewart Retsis

Court accepts dative petitions, Special Petitions and Requirement of Writings applications only. Inventories and the issuing of confirmation is undertaken at Inverness Sheriff Court

Fax

01478 613203

Email

portree@scotcourts.gov.uk

Jury helpline

01478 612191 (recorded message after 17.00)

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

The court is situated in Somerled Square in the centre of Portree. Use the journey planner for transportation information.

By bus

Buses from all the outlying and local areas stop in Somerled Square in front of the police station. The police station is situated next to the court house.

By rail

There is no train station.

By car

There is a public car park in Somerled Square with a number of disabled parking places. There is another long stay car park at Bayfield (five minutes walk from the court) which is free.

By taxi

The main taxi rank is in Somerled Square in front of Portree Hotel.

The following numbers can be used to call a taxi:

• 01478 612797
• 01478 612826
• 01478 612074
• 01478 613100
• 01478 611844
• 01478 613000

On Arrival

On arrival please report to the Sheriff Clerk's office just inside the entrance to the court house. You will be directed from there to where you need to go in the building. If you are attending for jury duty please report to the Sheriff Clerk's office.

Disabled access is available from the side entrance situated in the police station car park. This is a small office and it is not always permanently staffed. If you are travelling from a distance to attend the office please telephone to confirm that the office will be open. Language line facilities are available.

Facilities

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 the courtroom for people who have hearing difficulties. Please contact the Sheriff Clerk's office if you require to use this facility.

Pay a Fine

Pay a fine online or make a payment in the Sheriff Clerk's office.

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

Opening Times

Mon - Thurs - 09:00 - 13:00 and 14:00 - 17:00
Fri - 09:00 - 13:00 and 14:00 - 16:30

Please note that this office is not always permanently staffed. If you are travelling from a distance to attend the office please telephone to confirm that the office will be open.

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
• Highland Council
• Police Scotland

Accessibility