Scottish Court Service
| Non-ministerial government department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1995 |
| Jurisdiction | Scotland |
| Headquarters | Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH11 3XD |
| Employees | 1,374 |
| Annual budget | £108 million (2013-2014) |
| Minister responsible | |
| Non-ministerial government department executives |
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| Website | www |
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) is the body which is responsible for the administration of the court system and tribunal system of Scotland. The Service is a non-ministerial department of the Scottish Government. It employs (in relation to the courts) over 1000 staff members in the country's 49 Sheriff Courts, the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary, Justice of the Peace Courts and at the Service's HQ in Edinburgh.
The Scottish Court Administration, later to be called the Scottish Court Service, was created in 1995 by the Scottish Office as an executive agency, which became an agency of the Scottish Government after functions were transferred under devolution. In common with the Scottish Prison Service in the Scottish justice system, this arm's length approach was adopted to prevent direct ministerial involvement in the administration of justice.
On 1 April 2010 it was established by section 60 of the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008 as an independent body, governed by a Corporate Board and chaired by the Lord President, the most senior judge in Scotland.
On 1 April 2015, under the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, the Scottish Courts & Tribunals Services assumed the responsibilities of the former Scottish Court Service and Scottish Tribunals Service.
The Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 has resulted in the unification of the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary, Sheriff and Justice of the Peace courts. The SCS has the function of providing, or ensuring the provision of, the property, services, officers and other staff required for the purposes of all these courts (by virtue of section 61(1) of the 2008 Act).
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