SUMMARY SHERIFFS

Read about the types of court hearings presided over by summary sheriffs and see the list of summary sheriffs who have been appointed in Scotland.

Criminal cases

There are two types of criminal procedure in Scotland: solemn procedure for more serious cases and summary procedure. Summary sheriffs preside over summary cases. They also handle procedural matters in the early stages of solemn cases, for example, to grant a warrant for arrest, or to deal with a bail hearing. 

Maximum penalties available to summary sheriffs are set by law. See the Scottish Sentencing Council’s website for more information on maximum sentences and the range of available sentences.

Civil cases

Summary sheriffs can deal with a range of the civil proceedings heard in the sheriff court, including family cases such as adoption; domestic abuse; appeals from the children’s hearings; arrest warrants; extension of time to pay debts and simple procedure.

Sheriffs and Summary Sheriffs Association

Sheriffs and summary sheriffs in Scotland have formed an independent association which represents, safeguards and promotes the interests and welfare of their members and considers matters relating to the law and the administration of justice in Scotland. Read more about the Sheriff and Summary Sheriffs Association. 

Further Information

For more information, see the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland website, or read about how summary sheriffs are appointed.

Tables

The tables below list the Scottish summary sheriffs and part-time summary sheriffs.