{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/freedom-of-information-scotland-act-2002/section-37",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/freedom-of-information-scotland-act-2002/section-37.json",
  "legislation": "asp/2002/13",
  "legislation_title": "Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/freedom-of-information-scotland-act-2002",
  "path": "section/37",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "37",
  "heading": "Court records, etc.",
  "text": "(1) Information is exempt information if it is contained in—\n(a) a document—\n(i) lodged with, or otherwise placed in the custody of, a court for the purposes of proceedings in a cause or matter;\n(ii) served on, or by, a Scottish public authority for the purposes of such proceedings; or\n(iii) created by a court or a member of its administrative staff for the purposes of, or in the course of, such proceedings; or\n(b) a document—\n(i) lodged with, or otherwise placed in the custody of, a person conducting an inquiry or arbitration, for the purposes of that inquiry or arbitration; or\n(ii) created by such a person for such purposes,\nand a Scottish public authority holds the information solely because it is contained in such a document.\n(2) In this section—\n“court” includes a tribunal or body exercising the judicial power of the State; and\n“inquiry” means an inquiry or hearing held under a provision contained in, or made under, an enactment.\n(3) This section does not apply to information held by a Scottish public authority for the purposes of an inquiry instituted under the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016.",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 37(3) substituted (15.6.2017) by Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 (asp 2), s. 42(2), sch. 2 para. 10(3); S.S.I. 2017/155, reg. 2 (with regs. 4(2), 5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 37(1)(b) excluded (7.6.2005) by Inquiries Act 2005 (c. 12), ss. 18(4), 51 (with ss. 44, 50); S.I. 2005/1432, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2002/13/section/37",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:16:59.929274+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}