Sheriffs appointed to National Personal Injury Court

Six sheriffs have been named as the specialists who will sit in the new National Sheriff Personal Injury Court, which will have jurisdiction to hear cases from across Scotland with effect from the start of the legal year on 22 September.

Sheriff Paul Arthurson QC, Sheriff Peter Braid, Sheriff Gordon Liddle, Sheriff Kathrine Mackie, Sheriff Kenneth McGowan and Sheriff Fiona Reith QC have been designated by Sheriff Principal Mhairi Stephen QC, the Sheriff Principal of Lothian & Borders, as specialists in actions of damages for personal injury.

The court, which will be located at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, is one of the features of the civil court reforms which begin to take effect from September. It will have jurisdiction in personal injury cases exceeding £5,000, workplace-related personal injury actions exceeding £1,000, and any workplace-related personal injury case under £1,000 remitted to the all-Scotland court by the sheriff. The opening of the court coincides with the exclusion from the Court of Session of any action where the sum sued for is not more than £100,000.

Personal injury actions can still be lodged in local courts, but cases that go to a full evidential hearing in the national court will normally be as civil jury trials. The court will also allow e-motion procedure. 

Coverage of the new court is included in the interview with Sheriff Principal Stephen in the lead feature of this month's Journal.