Emergency guidance issued for higher civil courts

Emergency restrictions on business will apply in the Court of Session and Sheriff Appeal Court (Civil), under new guidance issued during the COVID-19 emergency.

It has previously been announced that only essential business to do with child abduction petitions, interim interdicts and other urgent business on cause shown, will be dealt with at present. The new Court of Session guidance, which applies until 20 April 2020 unless extended, also states that the email address for urgent business, CoSurgent@scotcourts.gov.uk, can be used for caveats (notices requiring intimation of an application for interim interdict) and to begin an action that would become time barred before 20 April. 

The initiating document will be deemed to have been lodged with the court on the date when the email with the document attached is received at this email address. So far as possible, any such new actions will be signeted, certified as signeted and returned by email or registered and relevant orders intimated by email. 

In the Sheriff Appeal Court, documents, including all new notes of appeal should be lodged by email to SAC.civil@scotcourts.gov.uk. All scheduled civil business, up to and including 29 May 2020, whether procedural or substantive appeal business, will be discharged and sisted, unless court staff inform otherwise.