Opening of the Legal Year
The Opening of the Legal Year is a ceremonial occasion that takes place in the Court of Session.
Formerly, it signalled the formal opening of a new legal year following the Court of Session’s summer recess.
Since 2016, the Court of Session is able to sit throughout the year. Though it is now ceremonial in nature, the Opening of the Legal Year still provides the opportunity to reflect on the progress in the previous legal year and set out future aims and ambitions for the courts and the justice system.
Beginnings
The idea of a legal year dates back to before the existence of the courts as we know them today.
The forerunner to the current Court of Session, known as The Auld Session, was established in 1425 by James I. It represented the first attempt to set up a permanent civil court in Edinburgh, independent of King and Parliament. The Auld Session dispensed justice according to set terms or ‘sessions’ until it fell into desuetude in 1468.
The College of Justice was established in 1532, with terms of sittings fixed by statute. The College of Justice is a permanent bench of professional judges sitting in Scotland’s supreme courts, the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary.
Today
As the head of the Judiciary, the Lord President lays out the aims and ambitions for the year ahead and highlights issues relevant to the legal sector. The event also welcomes those newly conferred the rank and dignity of King’s Counsel.
Since 2021, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates and the President of the Law Society have also been invited to say a few words to mark the occasion.
Once the gathering in the Court of Session finishes, members of the legal profession process from Parliament House to the nearby St Giles Cathedral for a short service.
There is also a Red Mass which was started in Scotland in 1939 by Lord Moncrieff. It is held at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh and is open to people of all faiths. The Red Mass is common across the world.