Civil Online document upload available from Monday

Upload of documents for almost all types of sheriff court actions managed using Civil Online will be available across Scotland from Monday.

Civil Online was launched in 2018 for simple procedure claims and is being developed by SCTS for wider use. The new facility has been trialled at various locations with a test group of solicitors and is now being made available to all, at any sheriff court. Users simply select the relevant case, specify the type of document and then upload their document file, submitting to the court with the click of a button.

The function is currently limited to non-initiating documents and it will not be possible to submit an initial writ or a notice of intention to defend. Submission has been enabled for cases managed by any sheriff court, by the Sheriff Appeal Court and by the All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court. It is not possible for cases relating to adoptions, permanence orders or human fertilisation and embryology, or for any case managed at the Court of Session. 

Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service said feedback from participating firms and court staff had been positive. Online submission would offer improved data security and enable quicker, more accurate processing of documents by the court.

Thanking the firms who participated in the trial, it added: "Their co-operation and feedback has been invaluable in identifying the issues users may face and refining our online facility to deliver a better service."

Solicitors must register their firm for access to Civil Online (email civilonlinelab@scotcourts.gov.uk) before they can submit documents, unless already using Civil Online for simple procedure.

SCTS plans further enhancements to enable the submission of an initial writ or notice of intention to defend, and to extend the case tracking facility, already available for simple procedure claims, to all types of civil business.