Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971

Part I — Constitution, Organisation and Administration

General duty of the Secretary of State

Secretary of State to be responsible for organisation and administration of sheriff courts

1

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Sheriffdoms

Power of Secretary of State to alter sheriffdoms

2

• (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sheriff court districts and places where sheriff courts are to be held

Sheriff court districts and places where sheriff courts are to be held

3

• (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (5A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sheriffs principal and sheriffs

Offices of sheriff principal and sheriff

4

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Qualification for offices of sheriff principal and sheriff

5

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Disqualification of sheriffs principal and sheriffs

6

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Jurisdiction of sheriff

7

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Sheriff may be appointed to assist Secretary of State

8

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Functions of the Secretary of State in relation to sheriffs principal, sheriffs, et ceteralaetc.

Power of Secretary of State to give administrative directions

9

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Secretary of State may authorise sheriff principal or direct sheriff to act in another sheriffdom

10

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Secretary of State may appoint temporary sheriffs principal and sheriffs

11

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Removal from office, and suspension, of sheriff principal or sheriff

12

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Functions of Secretary of State with respect to residence and leave of absence of sheriffs principal

13

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Functions of Secretary of State with respect to number, residence and place of duties of sheriffs

14

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Functions of the sheriff principal in relation to sheriffs, et ceteralaetc.

General functions of sheriff principal

15

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Functions of sheriff principal with respect to duties and leave of absence of sheriffs

16

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Sheriff principal may fix sittings and business of sheriff courts in sheriffdom, and sessions for civil business

17

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Secretary of State may exercise certain functions of sheriff principal in certain circumstances

18

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Miscellaneous

Travelling allowances for sheriffs principal

19

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Extension of purposes for which Lord Advocate may give instructions to procurators fiscal

20

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Amendment of Schedule 1 to House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957

21

Saving for existing functions

22

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Part II — Court houses, buildings and offices

Transfer of court houses to Secretary of State

23

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Provision and maintenance of court houses by Secretary of State

24

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Use of public buildings for holding of courts

25

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Use of court houses by third parties

26

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Compensation for officers and servants

27

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Repeal and amendment of local enactments

28

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Determination of disputes

29

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Interpretation of Part II

30

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Part III — Civil jurisdiction, procedure and appeals

Civil jurisdiction

Upper limit to privative jurisdiction of sheriff court to be £250

31

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Regulation of procedure in civil proceedings

Power of Court of Session to regulate civil procedure in sheriff court

32

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Sheriff Court Rules Council

33

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Functions of Sheriff Court Rules Council

34

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Summary causes

Summary causes

35

• (1) The definition of “summary cause” contained in paragraph (i) of section 3 of the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907 shall cease to have effect, and for the purposes of the procedure and practice in civil proceedings in the sheriff court there shall be a form of process, to be known as a “summary cause”, which shall be used for the purposes of all civil proceedings brought in that court, being proceedings of one or other of the following descriptions, namely—

• (a) actions for payment of money not exceeding £5000 in amount (exclusive of interest and expenses);

• (b) actions of multiplepoinding, actions of furthcoming . . . , where the value of the fundin medio, or the value of the arrested fund or subject, . . . as the case may be, does not exceed £5000 (exclusive of interest and expenses);

• (c) actionsad factum praestandum and actions for the recovery of possession of heritable or moveable property, other than actions in which there is claimed in addition, or as an alternative, to a decreead factum praestandumor for such recovery, as the case may be, a decree for payment of money exceeding £5000 in amount (exclusive of interest and expenses);

• (d) proceedings which, according to the law and practice existing immediately before the commencement of this Act, might competently be brought in the sheriff’s small debt court or were required to be conducted and disposed of in the summary manner in which proceedings were conducted and disposed of under the Small Debt Acts;

and any reference in the following provisions of this Act, or in any other enactment (whether passed or made before or after the commencement of this Act) relating to civil procedure in the sheriff court, to a summary cause shall be construed as a reference to a summary cause within the meaning of this subsection.

• (1A) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that nothing in subsection (1) above shall prevent the Court of Session from making different rules of procedure and practice in relation to different descriptions of summary cause proceedings.

• (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Procedure in summary causes

36

• (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2) A summary cause shall be commenced by a summons in, or as nearly as is practicable in, such form as may be prescribed by rules under the said section 32.

• (3) The evidence, if any, given in a summary cause shall not be recorded.

• (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Remits

37

• (1) In the case of any ordinary cause brought in the sheriff court the sheriff —

• (a) shall at any stage, on the joint motion of the parties to the cause, direct that the cause be treated as a summary cause, and in that case the cause shall be treated for all purposes (including appeal) as a summary cause and shall proceed accordingly

• (b) . . . . . .

• (2) In the case of any summary cause, the sheriff at any stage—

• (a) shall, on the joint motion of the parties to the cause, and

• (b) may, on the motion of any of the parties to the cause, if he is of the opinion that the importance or difficulty of the cause makes it appropriate to do so,

direct that the cause be treated as an ordinary cause, and in that case the cause shall be treated for all purposes (including appeal) as an ordinary cause and shall proceed accordingly:

• (2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (2D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

• (3) A decision—

• (a) to remit, or not to remit, under subsection (2A) (2B) or (2C) above; or

• (b) to make, or not to make, a direction by virtue of paragraph ( b ) of, or the proviso to, subsection (2) above,

shall not be subject to review; but from a decision to remit, or not to remit, under subsection (1)( b ) above an appeal shall lie to the Court of Session.

• (4) In this section “sheriff” includes a sheriff principal.

Appeal in summary causes

38

In the case of —

• (a) any summary cause an appeal shall lie to the sheriff principal on any point of law from the final judgment of the sheriff; and

• (b) any summary cause ... an appeal shall lie to the Court of Session on any point of law from the final judgment of the sheriff principal, if the sheriff principal certifies the cause as suitable for such an appeal,

Miscellaneous and supplemental

Amendment of s. 30 of Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907

39

Amendment of s. 31 of Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907

40

Power of Her Majesty to vary limit to privative jurisdiction of sheriff court, etc.

41

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Application of provisions regarding jurisdiction and summary causes

42

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Part IV — Miscellaneous and General

Orders, etc.

43

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Expenses

44

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Interpretation

45

• (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—

• (a) references to a sheriff principal include references to a temporary sheriff principal, and references to the office of sheriff principal include references to an appointment as a temporary sheriff principal;

• (b) references to a sheriff include references to a part-time sheriff and an honorary sheriff, and references to the office of sheriff include references to an appointment as a part-timesheriff and to the office of honorary sheriff;

• (c) references to an honorary sheriff are references to a person holding the office of honorary sheriff in his capacity as such.

• (2) In this Act—

• (a) “enactment” includes an order, regulation, rule or other instrument having effect by virtue of an Act;

• (b) any reference to any enactment shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended or extended, and as including a reference thereto as applied, by or under any other enactment (including this Act).

• (3) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section and to any other express provision of this Act, expressions used in this Act and in the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907 shall have the same meanings in this Act as in that Act.

Amendment and repeal of enactments

46

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Short title, commencement and extent

47

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SCHEDULE 1

General

1

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The Execution of Diligence (Scotland) Act 1926

2

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The Tenancy of Shops (Scotland) Act 1949

3

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The Housing (Repairs and Rents) (Scotland) Act 1954

4

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SCHEDULE 2

Part I — General Repeals

Part II — Repeals Consequent on Sections 35 to 38 of this Act

Secretary of State to be responsible for organisation and administration of sheriff courts.

5A

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Further provision about tribunals

11A

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11B

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11C

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11D

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13

• (1) The Secretary of State may require any sheriff principal (being a sheriff principal who is restricted by the terms of his appointment from engaging in private practice or to whom section 6(1) of this Act applies) to reside ordinarily at such place as the Secretary of State may specify.

• (2) The Secretary of State may approve such leave of absence for any sheriff principal (being a sheriff principal who is restricted by the terms of his appointment from engaging in private practice or to whom section 6(1) of this Act applies) as appears to the Secretary of State to be proper, but the amount of leave so approved (other than leave granted on account of ill-health) shall not, unless the Secretary of State for special reasons otherwise permits, exceed seven weeks in any year.

14

• (1) The Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury, by order prescribe the number of sheriffs to be appointed for each sheriffdom.

• (2) The Secretary of State may require any sheriff to reside ordinarily at such place as the Secretary of State may specify.

• (3) The Secretary of State—

• (a) shall, on the appointment of a person to hold the office of sheriff for any sheriffdom,

• (b) may, at any subsequent time while the said person holds that office,

give to that person a direction designating the sheriff court district or districts in which he is to perform his duties as sheriff:

• (4) If for the purpose of securing the efficient organisation and administration of the sheriff courts, and after consultation with the Lord President of the Court of Session, the Secretary of State by order so directs, a person holding the office of sheriff for any sheriffdom shall, on such date as may be specified in the order, cease to hold that office and shall, on and after that date, without the necessity of his receiving a commission in that behalf, hold instead the office of sheriff for such other sheriffdom as may be so specified; and on making an order under this subsection with respect to any person the Secretary of State shall give to that person a direction under subsection (3) above designating the sheriff court district or districts in which he is to perform his duties as sheriff.

• (5) In this section “sheriff” does not include an honorary sheriff or a part-timesheriff.

13

• (1) The Secretary of State may require any sheriff principal (being a sheriff principal who is restricted by the terms of his appointment from engaging in private practice or to whom section 6(1) of this Act applies) to reside ordinarily at such place as the Secretary of State may specify.

• (2) The Secretary of State may approve such leave of absence for any sheriff principal (being a sheriff principal who is restricted by the terms of his appointment from engaging in private practice or to whom section 6(1) of this Act applies) as appears to the Secretary of State to be proper, but the amount of leave so approved (other than leave granted on account of ill-health) shall not, unless the Secretary of State for special reasons otherwise permits, exceed seven weeks in any year.

14

• (1) The Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury, by order prescribe the number of sheriffs to be appointed for each sheriffdom.

• (2) The Secretary of State may require any sheriff to reside ordinarily at such place as the Secretary of State may specify.

• (3) The Secretary of State—

• (a) shall, on the appointment of a person to hold the office of sheriff for any sheriffdom,

• (b) may, at any subsequent time while the said person holds that office,

give to that person a direction designating the sheriff court district or districts in which he is to perform his duties as sheriff:

• (4) If for the purpose of securing the efficient organisation and administration of the sheriff courts, and after consultation with the Lord President of the Court of Session, the Secretary of State by order so directs, a person holding the office of sheriff for any sheriffdom shall, on such date as may be specified in the order, cease to hold that office and shall, on and after that date, without the necessity of his receiving a commission in that behalf, hold instead the office of sheriff for such other sheriffdom as may be so specified; and on making an order under this subsection with respect to any person the Secretary of State shall give to that person a direction under subsection (3) above designating the sheriff court district or districts in which he is to perform his duties as sheriff.

• (5) In this section “sheriff” does not include an honorary sheriff or a part-timesheriff.

14A

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Consideration of fitness for, and removal from, shrieval office

12A

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Functions of Secretary of State with respect to residence and leave of absence of sheriffs principal.

12B

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12C

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12D

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12E

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Functions of sheriff principal with respect to duties and leave of absence of sheriffs.

12F

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17A

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36A

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36B

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Editorial notes

[^c8184971]: S. 35: power to transfer functions conferred (19.5.1999) by S.I. 1999/678, art. 2(1), Sch.

[^c8184981]: 1907 c. 51.

[^c20717261]: Words in s. 35(1)(a) substituted (14.1.2008) by The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (Privative Jurisdiction and Summary Cause) Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/507), art. 3 (with art. 4)

[^c20717311]: Words in s. 35(1)(b) repealed (1.4.2008) by Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 3), ss. 226, 227, Sch. 6 (with s. 223); S.S.I. 2008/115, art. 3(1)(h)(2)(3), Sch. 2 (with arts. 4-6, 10)

[^c20717281]: Words in s. 35(1)(b) substituted (14.1.2008) by The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (Privative Jurisdiction and Summary Cause) Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/507), art. 3 (with art. 4)

[^c8185011]: S. 35(1)(c) excluded by Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974 (c. 38), s. 9(6)

[^c20717291]: Words in s. 35(1)(c) substituted (14.1.2008) by The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (Privative Jurisdiction and Summary Cause) Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/507), art. 3 (with art. 4)

[^c8185031]: S. 35(1A) inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 36:1), s. 59, Sch. 2 para. 14

[^c8185051]: S. 36(3) excluded by Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972 (c. 18), s. 4(4)(b)

[^c8185341]: S. 38 excluded by Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 (c. 18, SIF 45:2), ss. 103(1), 108(2), Sch. 7 paras. 5, 9(1)

[^c8185351]: Words substituted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 36:1), s. 18(4)

[^c8185421]: Words in s. 45(1)(b) substituted (9.8.2000) by 2000 asp 9, s. 12, Sch. para. 1(12)

[^c8185441]: 1907 c. 51.

[^key-8578970324dc1fed622dca3d6d407a4f]: S. 2(3) repealed (1.4.2015) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/700), arts. 1(4), 2(3)

[^key-6bbdaca5cefe43d376f2d4c026dba9c0]: S. 3(4) repealed (1.4.2015) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/700), arts. 1(4), 2(3)

[^M_F_53426fbd-f77d-446a-d714-71edce815d2f]: S. 4 repealed (E.W.N.I) (1.4.2015 for specified purposes, 22.9.2015 for specified purposes) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/700), art. 1(11)(e), Sch. para. 6

[^key-efeb3f2ce8e2cf9c1c9597eb50969cd7]: S. 35(1) excluded (22.9.2015) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 3, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/247), arts. 1(1), 9(1) (with art. 9(2))

[^key-c27f2b6f16d2d0c2963d90cd85f013ba]: S. 38 applied (with modifications) (1.1.2016) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 5, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/378), arts. 1(1), 4

[^M_F_1a113383-ba7d-4e1a-c483-bc674cada776]: S. 37(3) substituted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 55, SIF 36:3), s. 16(c)

[^M_F_31f0ff3e-baca-4d30-b8f9-4775630c76be]: Words inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 36:1), s. 18(3)(b)

Secretary of State may exercise certain functions of sheriff principal in certain circumstances.

Sheriff Court Rules Council.

Sheriff principal may fix sittings and business of sheriff courts in sheriffdom, and sessions for civil business.

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Sheriff principal may fix sittings and business of sheriff courts in sheriffdom, and sessions for civil business.

32A

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Appeal in summary causes.

Appeal in summary causes.

Sheriff principal may fix sittings and business of sheriff courts in sheriffdom, and sessions for civil business.

Lord President's power to exercise functions in sections 15 to 17

Rules for lay representation

Appeal in summary causes.

Efficient disposal of business in sheriff courts

Functions of sheriff principal with respect to duties and leave of absence of sheriffs.

Lord President's power to exercise functions in sections 15 to 17

Rules for lay representation

Appeal in summary causes.

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