{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/solicitors-scotland-act-1980/section-51",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/solicitors-scotland-act-1980/section-51.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1980/46",
  "legislation_title": "Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/solicitors-scotland-act-1980",
  "path": "section/51",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "51",
  "heading": "Complaints to Tribunal.",
  "text": "(1) A complaint may be made to the Tribunal by the Council; and, for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting complaints, the Council may appoint a solicitor to act as fiscal.\n(1A) In subsection (1) above, without prejudice to the generality of that subsection, the reference to a complaint includes a complaint in respect of conveyancing and executry practitioners and the provision by them of conveyancing and executry services (those expressions having the meanings given in section 23 of the 1990 Act).\n(2) The persons mentioned in subsection (3) may report to the Tribunal any case where it appears that . . . an incorporated practiceauthorised legal business may have failed to comply with any provision of this Act or of rules made under this Act applicable to it. . . , and any such report shall be treated by the Tribunal as a complain under subsection (1).\n(2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) The persons referred to in subsection (2) are—\n(a) the Lord Advocate;\n(aa) the Advocate General for Scotland\n(b) any judge;\n(ba) the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates;\n(c) the Auditor of the Court of Session;\n(ca) the auditor of the Sheriff Appeal Court,\n(d) the Auditor of any sheriff court.\n(e) the Scottish Legal Aid Board.\n(f) the Scottish legal services ombudsman.\n(4) Where a report is made to the Tribunal under subsection (2) the Tribunal may, if it thinks fit, appoint a solicitor to prosecute the complaint and the expenses of the solicitor, so far as not recoverable from the solicitor or authorised legal business complained against, shall be paid out of the funds of the Tribunal.",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 51(1A) inserted (15.8.2003) by Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 4), ss. 13(b), 21(2)(3); S.S.I. 2003/384, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(2) repealed (1.10.2008) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 195, 210, 211, Sch. 20 para. 1(9)(a)(i), Sch. 23 (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2008/1436, art. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 76:2), s. 56, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 26"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(2) substituted (1.7.2026 for specified purposes) by Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 8), s. 103(3), sch. 1 para. 29(2); S.S.I. 2026/96, reg. 2(3)(4), sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "S. 51(2A) repealed (1.10.2008) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 195, 210, 211, Sch. 20 para. 1(9)(b), Sch. 23 (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2008/1436, art. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "S. 51(3)(aa) inserted (20.5.1999) by S.I. 1999/1042, arts. 1(2)(b), 4, Sch. 2 Pt. I para. 7(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 51(3)(ba) inserted (3.6.1991) by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 (c. 40, SIF 76:2), s. 74, Sch. 8 Pt. II para. 29(9)(a); S.I. 1991/1252, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "S. 51(3)(ca) inserted (30.1.2019) by Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018 (asp 10), s. 27(3), sch. para. 4; S.S.I. 2018/368, reg. 2(o)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "S. 51(3)(e) inserted by Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 (c. 47, SIF 77:2), ss. 43, 45, Sch. 3 para. 8(3), Sch. 4 para. 3(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "S. 51(3)(f) substituted (3.6.1991) (for para. (f) added by Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1988 (c. 42, SIF 76:2), s. 6(1), Sch. 1 para. 14(b)) by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 (c. 40, SIF 76:2), s. 74, Sch. 8 Pt. II para. 29(9)(b); S.I. 1991/1252, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "S. 51(4) added by Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1988 (c. 42, SIF 76:2), s. 6(1), Sch. 1 para. 14(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(4) inserted (1.7.2026 for specified purposes) by Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 8), s. 103(3), sch. 1 para. 29(3); S.S.I. 2026/96, reg. 2(3)(4), sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 51 applied in part (with modifications) (1.10.2004) by The Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 (Foreign Lawyers and Multi-national Practices) Regulations 2004 (S.S.I. 2004/383), reg. 13"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "repealed",
      "affecting": "asp/2025/8",
      "affecting_title": "Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025"
    },
    {
      "type": "repealed",
      "affecting": "asp/2025/8",
      "affecting_title": "Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025"
    },
    {
      "type": "repealed",
      "affecting": "asp/2025/8",
      "affecting_title": "Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "asp/2025/8",
      "affecting_title": "Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/46/section/51",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:15:15.254365+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."
}