Lord President welcomes arrival of Courts Reform Act

Lord Gill, the Lord President of the Court of Session, has welcomed the giving of the royal assent to the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, which broadly implements the recommendations of the Scottish Civil Courts Review which he chaired while Lord Justice Clerk.

Among other reforms, the Act increases the privative limit of the sheriff court from £5,000 to £100,000, creates the new judicial offices of summary sheriff and appeal sheriff along with a Sheriff Appeal Court, and establishes a specialist personal injury court of national jurisdiction within the sheriff court.

The Lord President has confirmed his intention to appoint Sheriff Principal Mhairi Stephen as the President and Sheriff Principal Craig Scott as Vice President of the new Sheriff Appeal Court.

Lord Gill said: “These reforms will safeguard the integrity of Scots law by creating an efficient court structure. Every case will be heard by the appropriate court. The system will be accessible and cost effective for the litigant.

“My colleagues and I in the Review Team are particularly grateful to the Scottish Parliament for having passed into law almost all of our recommendations.”