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Throughout September, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service buildings take part in Doors Open Days. The events give people the chance to explore our buildings and take a peek at some areas usually under restricted access. Visitors can also learn about the history of the buildings and take part in various activities.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Paisley Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Elgin Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Glasgow Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Supreme Courts at Parliament House
Stirling Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Further upcoming events will be listed here closer to the dates.
Aberdeen Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Court is located in this grade, "A" listed building built between 1868 and 1874.
The building has seven courtrooms and accommodation for the Sheriff Principal, seven resident Sheriffs and one floating Sheriff, the Sheriff Clerk and her staff of 65, the Court Social Work department, Witness Services and the holding cells.
The courts deal with many different types of business including:
Guided tours with an experienced member of court staff, talking about history of the Court building, what happens in the court room, with an opportunity to explore areas of Courts 1 and 6.
Opportunities to take pictures, try on gowns and sit at Sheriffs bench.
Suitable for all ages.
Saturday 06 September 2025
10:00 to 15:30
Every 20 minutes
45 minutes
15:30
Castle Street
Aberdeen
AB10 1WP
The Edinburgh Sheriff Court building opened to the public in September 1994. It is the largest of the courts within Lothian and Borders, serving a population of approximately 450,000 people. The Justice of the Peace Court was established in the same building in March 2008. It houses 19 courtrooms, a cell area and administrative offices. We are the principal local criminal and civil court in Scotland covering all personal injury cases, both summary and solemn criminal cases and any civil matter up to a value of £100,000.
We will be running tours through a court room and into the cells, stalls from relevant organisations and mock trials prepared and performed by Procurator Fiscal Deputes and Defence Lawyers.
Saturday 27 September 2025
10:00 to 16:00
Approximately every 30 mins
20 minutes
15:15
Sheriff Court House
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
Elgin Sheriff Court building sits at the corner of High Street and Glover Street and opened in 1866. The interior was extensively renovated in 2006 to accommodate the Justice of the Peace Court.
Tours around the building every half hour
13 September 2025
10:00 to 14:00
Every 30 minutes
45 minutes
13:30
Sheriff Courthouse
High Street
Elgin
IV30 1BU
Glasgow Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court is situated in the Gorbals area of the city centre on the banks of the River Clyde. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 29 July 1986 and is the first post-war court facility to be Grade B listed.
The court is recognised as a significant example of late-Brutalist architecture and is the largest civil facility in Europe, able to accommodate 3,000 users per day.
It deals with a wide range of cases, including civil, criminal and commissary business.
Come along and join Sheriff Court staff for an informative tour around the main areas of the court building, including a jury court and the cell area. There will also be an opportunity to ask experienced staff questions at the end of tours within the courtroom. Supervised children are welcome.
There will be two tours each hour on the hour lasting approximately 50 minutes each. One tour will be aimed at adults whilst the other will cater more towards children accompanied by adults. There will be a quiz and a mock trial which is popular with children.
The tours will commence at 10:00 and will take place hourly until last two tours at 15:00.
Glasgow Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court is a very popular Doors Open Days venue and the tours can be extremely busy. Please be aware that you may have to queue and that tours may be closed if maximum numbers are reached.
Saturday 20 September 2025
10:00 to 16:00
Hourly on the hour
50 minutes
15:00
Glasgow Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Court
Sheriff Court House
1 Carlton Place
Glasgow
G5 9DA
The Inverness Justice Centre was opened in 2020. It is a multi-agency building consisting of SCTS, COPFS, Justice Services, HMCTS, VSS, Police Scotland, Families Outside, CAB, Women’s Aid and GeoAmey.
Tour of the building including court rooms, cell area and some justice partners.
Saturday 20 September 2025
10.00 to 16:00
No set times. Each tour will commence when sufficient attendance is reached.
Approximately 1 hour
15:00
Inverness Justice Centre
Longman Road
Inverness
IV1 1AH
Paisley Sheriff Court has occupied the building on St James Street since 1885 and was extended in 1998 to house the sheriffs, Scottish Court Service staff, and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service staff. In 2011, the Justice of the Peace Court relocated to the St James Street building.
Come along and join Sheriff Court staff for an informative tour around the main areas of the court building, including a criminal and civil courts, the cell area along with Sheriff’s Chambers area. Members of the Procurator Fiscal’s Service will be in attendance carrying out mock trials. Supervised children are welcome.
Paisley Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court is a very popular Doors Open Days venue and the tours can be extremely busy. Please be aware that you may have to queue and that tours may be closed if maximum numbers are reached.
Saturday 6 September 2025
10:00 to 16:00
Approximately 30 minutes
15:30
St James Street
Paisley
PA3 2HW
Parliament House in Edinburgh is a historic complex that serves as the home of Scotland's Supreme Courts located off the Royal Mile. The complex includes the original 17th-century Parliament Hall, where the Parliament of Scotland met before the 1707 Act of Union.
Building Tours
Escape Rooms
Re-enactment of Deacon Brodie trial
Kids Activities
Cell area open for viewing
27 September 2025
10:00 to 16:00
Every 30 minutes
45 mins
TBC
Parliament House
Parliament Square
Edinburgh
EH1 1RQ
The Category B Listed Sheriff Court was designed in 1864 and was modified between 1874 & 1876. Tours will be available throughout the day to see behind the scenes of the Sheriff Court including the courtrooms and ever popular cell area as well as a few stories about the history of the building. It is 150 years since the first case was called in Stirling Sheriff Court.
Tours of the court building, court rooms and cells
Saturday 27 September 2025
11:00 to 16:00
Every 30 minutes
Approximately 1 hour
15:00
Stirling Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Court
Viewfield Place
Stirling
FK8 1NQ