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.
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 and Perth)
Falkirk Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Stirling and Alloa)
Kirkcaldy Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Dunfermline)
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 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.
Postal address
Sheriff Court House,
9 Lewis Street,
Stornoway,
HS1 2JF
Main telephone
01851 702231
Sheriff Clerk / Main contact
Kenneth Finnie
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
01851 704296
Email
stornoway@scotcourts.gov.uk
Jury helpline
01851 702231
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 about 5-10 minutes walk from Stornoway town centre. Please use the Journey Planner for public transportation information.
By bus
The bus station is at South Beach and is a 5-10 minutes walk from the Court. Bus timetables can be found at the website.
By car
There is a public car park at the court. There are limited parking spaces which are on a first come first served basis. Other parking is available at South Beach Quay (Free Parking) and Perceval Square.
By taxi
There is a taxi rank 10 minute walk from the court.
By air
The nearest airport is Stornoway Airport (3 miles) - 01851 707400. There are daily flights to Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. There is no bus service to the Airport.
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. If you are attending for jury duty please report to reception.
Access for wheelchair users is at the rear of the court building. If you have any specific access requirements please contact the sheriff clerk's office on 01851 702231.
There are a small number of shops, cafes and hotels in Stornoway within walking distance of the court building where meals/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 the sheriff clerk's office 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.