Court reforms set out in new SCTS corporate plan
Civil and criminal court reforms over the next three years have been highlighted by Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service in its newly published corporate plan for 2023-26.
For the criminal courts, the plan first acknowledges that work is still to be done to bring the case backlogs back to pre-Covid levels, and its "top priority" is the delivery of the court recovery programme.
One tool to help achieve this is the summary case management pilot currently taking place in Dundee, Hamilton and Paisley Sheriff Courts, which involves key evidence being released to the defence prior to or at first calling, and greater judicial case management – at present in domestic abuse cases, but with the intention of extending it to other types of case.
Other reforms are those now in the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, including the new dedicated Sexual Offences Court. It is also planned to develop a virtual domestic abuse court model, these cases having been identified as best suited to the virtual courts pioneered during the pandemic, and a virtual custody cases system across Scotland.
In civil justice, "Our ambition over the period of this plan is to complete the transformation of the way in which we manage civil business – developing a fully digital end-to-end service, backed up by a modern, resilient and easy to use system." That will involve a single digital case management system for all civil business.
The Office of the Public Guardian and Accountant of Court will see a new case management system; and tribunal reform will continue with further migrations into the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland and the expansion of the Upper Tribunal for Scotland.
On publication of the plan, along with the SCTS business plan for 2024-25, chief executive Eric McQueen commented: "Over the past three years, the focus for all organisations has been responding to – and recovering from – the Covid pandemic. Whilst challenging, this period has transformed the landscape in which we operate. The Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service has been privileged to play a leading role in significant reforms across Scotland’s justice system during that time.
"As we look forward there are still challenges to address, but real progress to build on as we seek to realise future ambitions, in collaboration with the wider justice sector."
He added: “I would like to thank our partners and staff for all their support of the work of Scotland’s courts, tribunals and the OPG over the past three years. As we move forward, mindful that we must work within the constraints of a challenging economic outlook, we will continue to help shape and support the Scottish Government’s Vision for Justice, working across the system to improve the services we provide."