Stornoway Sheriff Court

Coronavirus - COVID19
Please check here for the latest information

---

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

Edinburgh Sheriff and JP Court (business transferring from Selkirk and Jedburgh)
Livingston 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.

Stornoway Sheriff Court is situated in the town of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles. The Court jurisdiction covers the Islands of Lewis and Harris.

Contact Details

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

Directions

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

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.

Facilities

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.

Pay a Fine

Pay a fine online or at the fines office is in the main sheriff clerk's office or by phone on 01851 702231.

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

Please note that if the fine is an endorsable fixed penalty where points have to go on to your driving licence, we cannot take payment over the telephone or online.

Fines enforcement: 0845 6025228

Opening Times

Mon - Fri 09.00 - 13:00,14:00 - 16:00

Public Holidays

2020
January 1, 2
April 10, 13
May 8
July 6
August 24
September 21
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
• Children's Reporter
• Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
• Police Scotland