UK Supreme Court to sit for a week in Edinburgh

The UK Supreme Court will sit for a week in June in Edinburgh, it was confirmed today.

In the first occasion the UK’s highest court has sat outside London, several appeals will be heard over up to four days, with at least five of the Supreme Court Justices taking part. The list of cases to be heard during the visit is still being finalised.

Rather than use the Court of Session's buildings in Parliament House, the court will sit in the City Chambers, home of the City of Edinburgh Council. Provision will be made for extensive public seating for those interested in observing proceedings at first hand.

As the court will not be sitting in a Scottish court building and will be following its standard rules and procedures, it is envisaged that proceedings will be filmed and relayed live online in the usual way.

Court staff will also use the opportunity to offer public talks about its work when the Justices are not sitting.

Lord Neuberger, President of the court, commented: “We make every effort to ensure our proceedings are accessible throughout the UK via our free live streaming service. However, nothing beats being able to observe courts at first hand. We look forward to welcoming members of the public as well as lawyers during what is intended to be the first of a number of visits to the capital cities of the devolved nations.”

Lord Carloway, Lord President of the Court of Session, who will sit alongside the Justices to hear at least one appeal during the court’s visit to Edinburgh, said he was "delighted" that the court would sit in Edinburgh, adding: "I welcome the opportunity it provides for the public and the legal community in Scotland to see the court in action.”

Gordon Jackson QC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, added: “This is most welcome news, and the Faculty will be delighted to assist in any way. Hopefully, this visit will help give the people of Scotland a better understanding of the important role this court has.”

Further details of public and media access arrangements, and the court listings, will be published in due course.