The civil, criminal and heraldic courts of Scotland are responsible for the administration of justice. They are constituted and governed by Scots law. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, a non-ministerial department of the Scottish Government, is responsible for the administration of the country's courts and tribunals systems.
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court and the High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court. The specialist system of Children's Hearings handles the majority of cases involving allegations of criminal conduct involving persons under 16.
The Court of the Lord Lyon is the heraldic court and the Scottish Land Court deals with agricultural and crofting issues.
Defunct courts include the Court of Exchequer and the Admiralty Court.
The United Kingdom does not have a single judicial system — England and Wales have one system, Scotland another, and Northern Ireland a third. The Military Court Service has jurisdiction over all members of the armed forces of the United Kingdom in relation to offences against military law. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom operates across all three separate jurisdictions, hearing some civil - but not criminal - appeals in Scottish cases, and determining certain devolution and human rights issues.