Section 62 Area and territorial jurisdiction of JP courtsI1
Scotland
A JP court has territorial jurisdiction in respect of offences committed within—
the sheriff court district in which it is located, and
any other district in the same sheriffdom.
Without prejudice to subsection (1)(b), it is competent for proceedings for an offence committed in one district in a sheriffdom to be taken in a JP court in any other district in the sheriffdom.
Sections F17A to 7D, 9 and 10 of the 1995 Act include further provision in relation to the territorial jurisdiction of JP courts.
It is also competent (in the exercise of judicial functions) for a JP F4... to sign, at any other place in Scotland, any—
warrant, judgment or interlocutor, or
other document,
relating to criminal proceedings within that sheriffdom.
A JP F5... may exercise signing functions at any place in Scotland.
The competence of a JP F6... under subsections (4) and (5) extends to competence to—
exercise the functions mentioned in those subsections for the purposes of any remaining district court for an area wholly or partly within the sheriffdom for which the JP F7... is appointed, and
do so at any place within the area of that district court.
Any reference in this Act, the 1995 Act or any other enactment to the area of a JP court means the sheriff court district in which it is located.
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
Words in s. 62(3) inserted (26.2.2026) by Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 14), ss. 9(4), 34(4); S.S.I. 2026/85, reg. 2(1)(2), sch.
- F2
Words in s. 62(4) repealed (1.4.2016) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 40(3)(a); S.S.I. 2016/13, art. 2, sch.
- F3
Words in s. 62(4) repealed (1.4.2016) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 40(3)(b); S.S.I. 2016/13, art. 2, sch.
- F4
Words in s. 62(5) repealed (1.4.2016) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 40(3)(a); S.S.I. 2016/13, art. 2, sch.
- F5
Words in s. 62(6) repealed (1.4.2016) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 40(3)(a); S.S.I. 2016/13, art. 2, sch.
- F6
Words in s. 62(7) repealed (1.4.2016) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 40(3)(a); S.S.I. 2016/13, art. 2, sch.
- F7
Words in s. 62(7)(a) repealed (1.4.2016) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 40(3)(c); S.S.I. 2016/13, art. 2, sch.
Commencement
- I1
S. 62 wholly in force at 22.2.2010; s. 62 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 84; s. 62 partly in force at 10.12.2007, 10.3.2008, 2.6.2008, 8.12.2008, 23.2.2009, 14.12.2009 and 22.2.2010 otherwise by S.S.I. 2007/479, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/42, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/192, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/329, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2008/362, art. 3, Sch.; S.S.I. 2009/432, art. 3(1)(2), Sch. 1, Sch. 2