Scottish Gaelic: Seirbheis Chùirte na h-Alba | |
Royal Court of Arms of the United Kingdom
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Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1995 |
Type | Non-ministerial government department |
Jurisdiction | Scotland |
Headquarters | Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH11 3XD |
Employees | 1,374 |
Annual budget | £129.3 million (2025-2016) |
Agency executives |
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Child agencies | |
Website | www |
Map | |
Scotland in the UK and Europe
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The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) is a non-ministerial government department and a public body in Scotland which is responsible for the administration of the courts and tribunals of Scotland. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service was established in 2010 as a non-ministerial government department by the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008, as the Scottish Courts Service, and is independent of the Scottish Government. Prior to 2010 the Service was an executive agency of the Scottish Government.
The Service is led by a corporate board which is chaired by the Lord President of the Court of Session, and 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 day-to-day administration of the service is the responsibility of the Chief Executive and the Executive Directors of the Service. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is also responsible for providing administrative services for the Judicial Office for Scotland, the Office of the Public Guardian, the Accountant of Court, the Criminal Courts Rules Council, and the Scottish Civil Justice Council.
The Service was first established as the Scottish Court Administration in 1995, as an executive agency of the Scottish Office. It was later renamed Scottish Court Service. In 1999, the Service became an agency of the Scottish Government after responsibility of the courts and judiciary of Scotland 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.