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Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008 in England

2008 asp 6 · Enacted 29 October 2008 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 11 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 1 October 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 62(1)(bza)insertedVictims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 sch. 5 para. 2(7)
s. 35(2A)insertedVictims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 sch. 5 para. 2(5)
s. 43(2)(cb)insertedVictims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 sch. 5 para. 2(6)
s. 2(2A)words insertedVictims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 sch. 5 para. 2(2)
s. 2(6)(ba)insertedVictims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 sch. 5 para. 2(3)
s. 20E(2)words insertedVictims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 s. 73(2)(a)
s. 20E(4)words substitutedVictims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 s. 73(2)(b)
s. 20E(6)insertedVictims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 s. 73(2)(c)
s. 34(1)words insertedVictims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 sch. 5 para. 2(4)
sch. 1 para. 16B and cross-headinginsertedCrofting and Scottish Land Court Act 2026 sch. 2 para. 7(3)
s. 10(1)(b)substitutedCrofting and Scottish Land Court Act 2026 sch. 2 para. 7(2)

An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision about the judiciary and the courts; to establish the Scottish Court Service; and for connected purposes.

The Bill for this Act of the Scottish Parliament was passed by the Parliament on 25th September 2008 and received Royal Assent on 29 October 2008

Contents

  1. 1Guarantee of continued judicial independence
  2. Part 2: The judiciary
  3. 2Head of the Scottish Judiciary
  4. 3Delegation of functions
  5. Chapter 2: Senior judiciary: vacancy, incapacity and suspension
  6. 4Lord President
  7. 5Lord Justice Clerk
  8. 6Periods when both sections 4 and 5 apply
  9. 7Supplementary
  10. 8Interpretation of Chapter 2
  11. Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland
  12. 9The Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland
  13. 11Recommendations of the Board
  14. 12Selection criteria
  15. 13Assessment of legal knowledge, skills and competence
  16. 14Encouragement of diversity
  17. 15Guidance
  18. 16Guidance: procedure
  19. 17Confidentiality of information
  20. 18Annual report
  21. Lord President and Lord Justice Clerk
  22. 19Appointment
  23. 20Selection criteria
  24. 20BTemporary judges
  25. 20CReappointment of temporary judges
  26. 20DCessation of appointment of temporary judges
  27. 20ERe-employment of former Court of Session and Supreme Court judges
  28. 20FRe-employment of former judges: further provision
  29. 20GRemuneration and expenses of temporary and former judges
  30. Sheriffs principal, sheriffs and part-time sheriffs
  31. 24Appointment of temporary sheriffs principal Repealed
  32. 25Re-employment of retired sheriffs principal and sheriffs Repealed
  33. 26Appointment of part-time sheriffs Repealed
  34. 27Sheriffs and part-time sheriffs: official oaths
  35. Judicial conduct
  36. 28Rules about investigations etc.
  37. 29Powers of Lord President
  38. Judicial Complaints Reviewer
  39. 30Judicial Complaints Reviewer
  40. 31Judicial Complaints Reviewer: tenure etc.
  41. 32Guidance
  42. 33Lord President's powers on referral
  43. Suspension
  44. 34Suspension
  45. Judges
  46. 35Tribunal to consider fitness for judicial office
  47. 36Suspension during investigation
  48. 37Further provision about tribunals
  49. 38Report of tribunal
  50. 39Temporary judges: removal from office
  51. Sheriffs
  52. 40Consideration of fitness for, and removal from, shrieval office Repealed
  53. Justices of the peace
  54. 41Provision relating to tribunal considering fitness for office of justices of the peace
  55. 42Training and appraisal of justices of the peace
  56. The Court of Session
  57. 44Maximum number of judges
  58. 45Number of judges of the First and Second Divisions of the Inner House
  59. 46Divisions of the Inner House
  60. Sheriff courts
  61. 47Sheriff principal's responsibility Repealed
  62. 48Repeal of certain responsibilities of Scottish Ministers Repealed
  63. 49Lord President's default power Repealed
  64. 50Alteration of boundaries of sheriffdoms Repealed
  65. 51Sheriff court districts and places where sheriff courts are to be held Repealed
  66. 52Repeal of power to appoint sheriff to assist Scottish Ministers Repealed
  67. 53Sheriffs principal and sheriffs acting in other sheriffdoms Repealed
  68. 54Residence and leave of absence of sheriffs principal Repealed
  69. 55Number, residence and deployment of sheriffs Repealed
  70. 56Leave of absence of sheriffs Repealed
  71. Justice of the peace courts
  72. 57Establishment, constitution etc.
  73. 58Sheriff principal's responsibility
  74. Court holidays
  75. 59Court holidays in sheriff courts and justice of the peace courts
  76. Establishment
  77. 60The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
  78. Functions
  79. 62Administrative support for other persons
  80. 63Appointment etc. of office holders
  81. Provision of advice etc. to the Scottish Ministers
  82. 65Provision of advice etc. to the Scottish Ministers
  83. Plan and report
  84. 66Corporate plan
  85. 67Annual report
  86. Ministerial powers
  87. 68Provision of information
  88. 69Guidance
  89. 70Default power
  90. 71Orders and regulations
  91. 72Interpretation
  92. 73Consequential amendments and repeals
  93. 74Ancillary provision
  94. 75Transitional provision etc.
  95. 76Commencement and short title
  96. Schedule 1: The Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland
  97. Status of the Board
  98. 1Paragraph 1
  99. Membership
  100. 2Paragraph 2
  101. The judicial and legal members
  102. 3Paragraph 3
  103. The lay members
  104. 4Paragraph 4
  105. Persons disqualified from membership
  106. 5Paragraph 5
  107. Term of office
  108. 6Paragraph 6
  109. Resignation of members
  110. 7Paragraph 7
  111. Removal of members
  112. 8Paragraph 8
  113. Chairing Member: appointment and tenure
  114. 9Paragraph 9
  115. Chairing Member: resignation, removal, vacancy etc.
  116. 10Paragraph 10
  117. Temporary members
  118. 11Paragraph 11
  119. Conflicts of interest
  120. 12Paragraph 12
  121. Fees and expenses
  122. 13Paragraph 13
  123. Appointment of persons to assist the Board
  124. 13AParagraph 13A
  125. Powers and conduct of persons appointed to assist the Board
  126. 13BParagraph 13B
  127. Administrative support
  128. 14Paragraph 14
  129. Procedure
  130. 15Paragraph 15
  131. Committees and delegation
  132. 16Paragraph 16
  133. Proceedings relating to the Scottish Tribunals
  134. 16AParagraph 16A
  135. Validity of proceedings
  136. 17Paragraph 17
  137. Board to fall within remit of Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland
  138. 18Paragraph 18
  139. Code of conduct for members
  140. 19Paragraph 19
  141. Maladministration
  142. 20Paragraph 20
  143. Freedom of information
  144. 21Paragraph 21
  145. Transitional provision: constitution of the first Board
  146. 22Paragraph 22
  147. Schedule 2: Panels established under section 19(2)
  148. Constitution of panel
  149. 1Paragraph 1
  150. Vacancies etc.
  151. 2Paragraph 2
  152. Qualifying judges
  153. 3Paragraph 3
  154. Fees and expenses
  155. 4Paragraph 4
  156. Status of SCTS Not yet in force
  157. 1Paragraph 1 Not yet in force
  158. Membership
  159. Procedure for appointment of members
  160. 3Paragraph 3
  161. Persons disqualified from membership
  162. 4Paragraph 4
  163. Term of office
  164. 5Paragraph 5
  165. Reappointment
  166. 6Paragraph 6
  167. Resignation and removal of members
  168. 7Paragraph 7
  169. Suspension of judicial members
  170. 8Paragraph 8
  171. Chairing of the SCTS
  172. 9Paragraph 9
  173. Committees
  174. 10Paragraph 10
  175. Proceedings
  176. 11Paragraph 11
  177. Validity of actings
  178. 12Paragraph 12
  179. Remuneration and expenses
  180. 13Paragraph 13
  181. Chief Executive and other staff
  182. 14Paragraph 14
  183. Ancillary powers
  184. 15Paragraph 15
  185. Power to use local authority premises
  186. 16Paragraph 16
  187. Delegation
  188. 17Paragraph 17
  189. Freedom of information
  190. 18Paragraph 18
  191. Transfer of staff
  192. 19Paragraph 19
  193. Transfer of property and liabilities
  194. 20Paragraph 20
  195. Schedule 4: Appointment etc. of office holders: consequential amendments
  196. The Administration of Justice (Scotland) Act 1933 (c. 41)
  197. 1Paragraph 1
  198. The Sheriff Courts and Legal Officers (Scotland) Act 1927 (c. 35)
  199. 2Paragraph 2
  200. Schedule 5: Consequential amendments and repeals
  201. The Courts of Law Fees (Scotland) Act 1895 (c. 14)
  202. 1Paragraph 1
  203. The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (c. 58)
  204. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  205. The Scotland Act 1998 (Transitory and Transitional Provisions) (Removal of Judges) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/1017)
  206. 3Paragraph 3
  207. The Senior Judiciary (Vacancies and Incapacity) (Scotland) Act 2006 (asp 9)
  208. 4Paragraph 4
  209. The Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 6)
  210. 5Paragraph 5