93-959: The Inner House is the senior part of the Court of Session , the supreme civil court in Scotland ; the Outer House forms the junior part of the Court of Session. It is a court of appeal and a court of first instance . The chief justice is the Lord President , with their deputy being the Lord Justice Clerk , and judges of the Inner House are styled Senators of the College of Justice or Lords of Council and Session . Criminal appeals in Scotland are handled by
186-423: A bench of three senators, though more complex or important cases are presided over by five senators. On very rare occasions the whole Inner House has presided over a case. Outer House cases are heard by a single senator sitting as a Lord Ordinary , occasionally with a jury of twelve . The current Lord President is Lord Carloway . In addition to the 35 senators, a number of temporary judges have been appointed to
279-715: A Supreme Court for the United Kingdom was first proposed in a consultation paper published by the Department of Constitutional Affairs in July 2003. Although the paper noted that there had been no criticism of the then-current Law Lords or any indication of an actual bias, it argued that the separation of the judicial functions of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords from the legislative functions of
372-627: A compulsory retirement age of 75. Temporary judges can also be appointed. The court is a unitary collegiate court, with all judges other than the Lord President and the Lord Justice Clerk holding the same rank and title— Senator of the College of Justice and also Lord or Lady of Council and Session . There are thirty-four judges, in addition to a number of temporary judges; these temporary judges are typically sheriffs , or advocates in private practice. The judges sit also in
465-531: A court of appeal . The primary task of the Court of Session is to decide on civil law cases. The court is also the Court of Exchequer for Scotland , a jurisdiction previously held by the Court of Exchequer. (In 1856, the functions of that court were transferred to the Court of Session, and one of the Lords Ordinary sits as Lord Ordinary in Exchequer Causes when hearing cases therein.) This
558-425: A court of first instance in rare instances. The Inner House is always a panel of at least three senators and does not sit with a jury. The division of the Court into two houses was first enacted by the Court of Session Act 1810 and most recently confirmed by the Court of Session Act 1988 . The Inner House will sit as a court of first instance in respect of special cases, where the facts are not disputed but where
651-546: A court of five judges or, exceptionally, seven, may be convened. The Inner House is sub-divided into two divisions of equal authority and jurisdiction - the First Division, headed by the Lord President; and the Second Division headed by the Lord Justice Clerk. The courts to hear each case are, ordinarily, drawn from these divisions. When neither is available to chair a hearing, an Extra Division of three senators
744-464: A fair trial. The Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury , later President of the Supreme Court, expressed fear that the new court could make itself more powerful than the House of Lords committee it succeeded, saying that there is a real risk of "judges arrogating to themselves greater power than they have at the moment". The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers said such an outcome was "a possibility", but
837-646: A growing effort to divest their judicial functions. James I decided that a Session would be held periodically to hear appeals and decide cases. It came to be known as the Auld Session and sat three times a year, comprising the Lord Chancellor and "certain discreet persons of the Three Estates " as the Lords of Session. The Sessions had universal jurisdiction to hear disputes formerly arguable to
930-565: A hearing, an Extra Division of three senators is summoned, chaired by the most senior judge present; due to pressure of business the Extra Division sits frequently nowadays. Until 2015 civil cases that went to a full proof (hearing) in the sheriff courts of Scotland could be appealed by right to the Inner House of the Court of Session. Appellants could take the appeal to a sheriff principal for an initial appeal, and then onto
1023-429: A monetary value in excess of £ 100,000; the pursuer is given first choice of court. The majority of complex, important, or high value cases are be brought in the Court of Session. The sheriff courts and Sheriff Personal Injury Court may remit cases to the Court of Session at the presiding sheriff's request. The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland , and it shares concurrent jurisdiction with
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#17327652979721116-462: A remedy for any injustice not already provided for by Scots law. Scots law did not develop a distinction between its common law and equitable principles partly due to the nobile officium . The Courts Act 1672 allowed for five of the Lords of Session to be appointed as Lords Commissioners of Justiciary , and as such becomes judges of the High Court of Justiciary . The High Court of Justiciary
1209-461: A significant legal difficulty has arisen. Such a case may be appealed to another panel of the Inner House, but constituted with a greater number of senators than the initial panel. Further appeals are also possible to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom . Almost all hearings in the Inner House are before three judges, although in important cases in which there is a conflict of authority
1302-524: A subsequent act been abolished); fifth, all the duties connected with bankruptcy; sixth, a set of duties unknown in England, connected with the valuation and sale of tithes, and the augmentation of ministers' stipends out of the tithes—the tribunal for disposing of such matters it known by the name of the Teind Court; seventh, the duties connected with the Court of Admiralty, and the duties connected with
1395-763: A tax tribunal) when barristers recognised by the General Council of the Bar were denied the right to take an appeal on behalf of clients they had represented at tribunal. The administration of the court is part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, and is led by the Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary . She is responsible for the administration of the Supreme Courts of Scotland and their associated staff. Gillian Prentice has been
1488-399: Is a conflict of authority a court of five judges or, exceptionally, seven, may be convened. The Inner House is sub-divided into two divisions of equal authority and jurisdiction - the First Division, headed by the Lord President; and the Second Division headed by the Lord Justice Clerk. The courts to hear each case are, ordinarily, drawn from these divisions. When neither is available to chair
1581-725: Is granted by the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Tribunals (Scotland) Act 2014 , which replaced powers regulated by the Court of Session Act 1988 and the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971. These are generally incorporated into the Rules of Court, which are published by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and form the basis for Scots civil procedure. Acts of Sederunt regulate civil procedure in
1674-408: Is limited by adherence to precedent , and when legislation or the common law do not already specify the relevant remedy. Thus, the court cannot set aside a statutory power, but can deal with situations where the law is silent, or where there is an omission in statute. Such an omission is sometimes termed a casus improvisus . The nobile officium was used to implement recognition of an order of
1767-590: Is not overturned by the declaration, and neither Parliament nor the government is required to agree with any such declaration. However, if they do accept a declaration, ministers can exercise powers under section 10 of the Human Rights Act to amend the legislation by statutory instrument to remove the incompatibility or ask Parliament to amend the legislation. As authorised by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 , Part 3, Section 23(1),
1860-693: Is summoned, chaired by the most senior judge present; due to pressure of business this Extra Division sits frequently nowadays. The appellate jurisdiction of the Inner House was substantially altered by the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 which created the Sheriff Appeal Court , which now sees civil appeals being heard by an Appeal Sheriff sitting in the Sheriff Appeal Court. Such appeals are binding on all sheriff courts in Scotland, and appeals can only be remitted (transferred) to
1953-472: Is superficially similar to the High Court in England and Wales, and in this house judges sit singly—and with a jury of twelve in personal injury or defamation actions. Subject-matter jurisdiction is extensive and extends to all kinds of civil claims unless expressly excluded by statute, and it shares much of this jurisdiction with the sheriff courts. Some classes of cases, such as intellectual property disputes, are heard by an individual judge designated by
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#17327652979722046-589: Is the supreme criminal court of Scotland. Previously the Lord Justice General , the president of the High Court, had appointed deputes to preside in his absence. From 1672 to 1887, the High Court consisted of the Lord Justice General , Lord Justice Clerk , and five Lords of Session . In 1640, membership of the court was restricted to laymen only, by withdrawing the right of churchmen to sit in judgement of legal causes. The number of laymen
2139-483: Is the final court of appeal in the UK for civil cases, and for criminal cases from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It hears cases of the greatest public or constitutional importance affecting the whole population. The Supreme Court hears appeals (i) in England and Wales, from the Court of Appeal (Civil Division), the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) and (ii) in Scotland from the Court of Session . The Supreme Court
2232-765: Is the highest court of appeal in relation to Scottish civil cases. However, the High Court of Justiciary is the highest court of appeal in relation to Scottish criminal cases. The Supreme Court also determines devolution issues (as defined by the Scotland Act 1998 , the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and the Government of Wales Act 2006 ). These are legal proceedings about the powers of the three devolved administrations—the Northern Ireland Executive and Northern Ireland Assembly ,
2325-522: The College of Justice and the High Court of Justiciary. Their number is fixed by statute, currently to 37, although a number of temporary judges assist the court with its workload. The court is led by the Lord President of the Court of Session who also heads the Scottish judiciary. The creation of the court was part of wider efforts to improve and reform access to justice in Scottish society. By 1153,
2418-440: The High Court of Justice of England and Wales for the placement of children in secure accommodation in Scotland, in the case of Cumbria County Council, Petitioners [2016] CSIH 92 . An application was made to the Court of Session under the nobile officium by Cumbria County Council , Stockport Metropolitan Council , and Blackpool Borough Council on behalf of four children. There was insufficient accommodation in England to house
2511-588: The High Court of Justiciary sitting as the Court of Appeal . The Inner House is the part of the Court of Session which acts as a court of appeal for cases from the Outer House and from appeals in civil cases from the Court of the Lord Lyon , Scottish Land Court , and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland . It will hear appeals on questions of law from the Sheriff Appeal Court . It will also sit as
2604-615: The House of Lords should be made explicit. The paper noted the following concerns: The main argument against a new Supreme Court was that the previous system had worked well and kept costs down. Reformers expressed concern that this second main example of a mixture of the legislative, judicial and executive might conflict with professed values under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights . Officials who make or execute laws have an interest in court cases that put those laws to
2697-544: The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ). The Outer House is a court of first instance, although some statutory appeals are remitted to it by the Inner House. Such appeals are originally referred from the sheriff courts, the court of first instance for civil causes in the court system of Scotland. Judges in the Outer House are referred to as Lord or Lady [name] , or as Lord Ordinary . The Outer House
2790-542: The Principal Clerk administers the court and judges. Decisions of the court are subject to review by the European Court of Human Rights and on appeal, the UK Supreme Court can overturn them altogether. These courts lie outwith Scotland and so the Court of Session is the supreme court of Scotland for civil cases. Early judges of the court recorded their decisions and codified the law at a time early in
2883-539: The Report on the Scotch Judges' Salaries . The Spectator reported the arguments made by Sir William Rae , Lord Advocate , that the judges of the Court of Session had considerable duties, which he listed as: On those thirteen are now devolved, first, all the duties that occur in the Court of Chancery in England; second, all the duties that occur in the courts of Common Law in England, in civil matters; third, all
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2976-865: The Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament , the Welsh Government and Senedd . Devolution issues were previously heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and most are about compliance with rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, brought into national law by the Devolution Acts and the Human Rights Act 1998. On rare occasions the court may have original jurisdiction, normally in cases relating to contempt of
3069-645: The Scottish Legal Aid Board , is available to persons with little disposable income for cases in the Court of Session. Members of the Faculty of Advocates , known as advocates or counsel , and as of 1990 also some solicitors , known as solicitor-advocates , have practically exclusive rights of audience in the court. Barristers from England and Wales have no right of audience, which caused controversy in 2011 (over an appeal from an immigration tribunal) and again in 2015 (over an appeal from
3162-536: The judicial functions of the House of Lords , which had been exercised by the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (commonly called " Law Lords "), the 12 judges appointed as members of the House of Lords to carry out its judicial business as the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords . Its jurisdiction over devolution matters had previously been exercised by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council . The creation of
3255-489: The Consistorial Courts. The select committee's Report recommended that the salaries of the Lord President, Lord Justice Clerk and remaining senators should be increased, and also recommended that all senators should become Lords Commissioners of Justiciary . The recommended salaries were: However, The Spectator was very critical of the actual amount of work done by the judges of the court, noting that there
3348-418: The Court of Session are influential or binding on all the courts of Scotland, and the court handles all manner of civil business, from commercial and contract disputes to family and taxation. Appeal lies to Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and may be taken only with the permission of either court. The Court of Session and the local sheriff courts of Scotland have concurrent jurisdiction for all cases with
3441-416: The Court of Session extends beyond statutory and common law powers, with the Court having an equitable and inherent jurisdiction called the nobile officium , unique among British courts. The nobile officium enables the court to provide a legal remedy where statute or the common law are silent, and prevent mistakes in procedure or practice that would lead to injustice . The exercise of this power
3534-538: The Court of Session itself. In September 2019 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he would "rather be dead in a ditch" than apply for an extension to Britain's application to leave the European Union ( Brexit ), due on 31 October, although the UK parliament had required him to do so under circumstances laid out in the Benn Act . Following this, an application was made to the Court of Session to require
3627-510: The Court of Session, the sheriff courts of Scotland (including the Sheriff Appeal Court and Sheriff Personal Injury Court), and in the tribunals of Scotland. The Court of Session can amend or repeal any enactment , including primary legislation, if it relates to matters an Act of Sederunt may cover. Rules for regulating civil procedure are decided upon by the Scottish Civil Justice Council before being presented to
3720-413: The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 establishes the precedent of judgments in the Sheriff Appeal Court, so that when the Sheriff Appeal Court makes a decision on a question of law , it is binding in every sheriffdom for every sheriff court and every justice of the peace court. The decision is also binding on the Sheriff Appeal Court, unless it convenes a bench with a greater number of Appeal Sheriffs than
3813-470: The EU with an agreement had opposed the prorogation. In 2022, the Supreme Court ruled on whether the Scottish Parliament had the power to legislate for a second independence referendum . In the case, the five-judge panel unanimously found that Scotland did not have the right to organise a referendum without the permission of Westminster, as questions around independence qualify as "reserved matters" (reserved to
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3906-418: The European Convention on Human Rights. One of the most important cases presented to the Supreme Court was the joint cases of R (Miller) v The Prime Minister and Cherry v Advocate General for Scotland , known as Miller/Cherry , on Boris Johnson's unlawful prorogation (suspension) of Parliament, to suppress debate in anticipation of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, "frustrating or preventing
3999-422: The High Court of Justiciary sitting as the Court of Appeal . The Inner House is the part of the Court of Session which acts as a court of appeal for cases decided the Outer House and of civil cases from the sheriff courts, the Court of the Lord Lyon , Scottish Land Court , and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland . The Inner House always sits as a panel of at least three senators and with no jury. Unlike in
4092-472: The High Court of Justiciary, there is a right of appeal to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom of cases from the Inner House. The right of appeal only exists when the Court of Session grants leave to this effect or when the decision of the Inner House is by majority. Until the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 came into force in October 2009, this right of appeal was to the House of Lords (or sometimes to
4185-722: The High Court of Justiciary, where the Lord President is called the Lord Justice General. Supreme Court of the United Kingdom The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ( initialism : UKSC ) is the final court of appeal in the United Kingdom for all civil cases and for criminal cases originating in England , Wales and Northern Ireland . As the United Kingdom's highest appellate court for these matters, it hears cases of
4278-444: The House of Lords was confirmed by the Court of Session Act 1988. Court of Session The Court of Session is the highest national court of Scotland in civil cases. The court was established in 1532 to take on the judicial functions of the royal council. Its jurisdiction overlapped with other royal, state and church courts but as those were disbanded, the role of the Court of Session ascended. The Acts of Union establishing
4371-590: The Inner House as "the Lord Ordinary", a remnant of the historical distinction between the Extraordinary Lords of Session and the other or 'Ordinary' ones. Several significant changes were made to the court during the 19th century, with the Court of Session Act 1810 formally dividing the Court of Session into the Outer House (with first-instance jurisdiction before a Lord Ordinary ) and Inner House (with appellate jurisdiction .) Cases in
4464-616: The Inner House can remit a case, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council . Both these types of appeal will go instead to the new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom from 2009. It was formerly argued that the Act of Union 1707 expressly forbade appeals from the Court of Session to the House of Lords . Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries this was a matter of great concern, as Scottish cases were typically decided by Law Lords with no background in Scots Law . In modern times,
4557-467: The Inner House where they are deemed to be of wider public interest, raise a significant point of law , or are particularly complex: ... the rationale for the establishment of the Sheriff Appeal Court, that it will deal with virtually all civil appeals from the sheriff court because these do not merit the attention of Inner House judges except in very exceptional cases. This will free up Inner House judges to deal with more complex matters. Section 48 of
4650-474: The Inner House, or they could take the appeal directly to the Inner House. However, the appellate jurisdiction of sheriffs principal for all civil cases (including summary cause and small claims actions ) was transferred to the Sheriff Appeal Court following passage of the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 . The 2014 Act also modified the appellate jurisdiction of the Inner House with civil appeals from
4743-519: The Jury Court, along with the Admiralty and Commissary courts, was absorbed into the Court of Session following the enactment of the Court of Session Act 1830. In 1834, the remuneration and working conditions were a matter of public discussion and debate in the House of Commons . On 6 May 1834 Sir George Sinclair addressed the House of Commons to plead for an increase in the salaries of
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#17327652979724836-483: The Lord President as the jurist for intellectual property cases. Final judgments of the Outer House, as well as some important judgements on procedure, may be appealed to the Inner House. Other judgments may be so appealed with leave. The court sits as the Lands Valuation Appeal Court is a Scottish civil court , composed of three Court of Session judges, and established under Section 7 of
4929-469: The Lords of Session became commingled, and the modern court's judges are still styled Lords of Council and Session . In 1531, it was decided to create a permanent, dedicated, national court of Scotland. James V obtained a papal bull in 1531 and established the College of Justice in 1532, basing it on the Parisian parlement . The council lords became members of the College of Justice and judges of
5022-423: The Lords of Session for decision; the Lords of Session may approve, amend or reject the rules so presented. An Act of Sederunt, Act of Sederunt (Regulation of Advocates) 2011, devolves authority to the Faculty of Advocates to regulate admission to practice as an advocate before the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary; advocates are notionally officers of the court, and are de jure appointed by
5115-522: The Outer House were to be heard by Lords Ordinary who either sat alone or with a jury of twelve . Cases in the Inner House were to be heard by three Lords of Council and Session, but significant or complicated cases were to be heard by five or more judges. A further separation was made in 1815, by the Jury Trials (Scotland) Act 1815 ( 55 Geo. 3 . c. 42), with the creation of a lesser Jury Court to allow certain civil cases to be tried by jury. In 1830
5208-463: The President. To avoid a tie, all cases are heard by a panel containing an odd number of justices. Thus, the largest possible panel for a case is 11 justices. To date, there have been only two cases (both involving matters of major constitutional importance) heard by 11 justices: the case of R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (argued in 2016 and decided in 2017) and
5301-474: The Prime Minister to sign a letter requesting extension if no exit deal could be agreed in time. The applicants hoped that the unique power of nobile officium would enable the court to send the article 50 extension letter on Johnson's behalf, if he declined to do so. Appeals in the Court of Session are generally heard by the Inner House before three judges, although in important cases in which there
5394-600: The Principal Clerk since June 2018. The court's president is the Lord President, the second most senior judge is the Lord Justice Clerk, with a further 33 senators of the College of Justice holding office as Lords of Council and Session. The total numbers of judges is fixed by Section 1 of the Court of Session Act 1988, and subject to amendment by Order in Council. Judges are appointed for life, subject to dismissal if they are found unfit for office, and subject to
5487-476: The Supreme Court is much more limited in its powers of judicial review than the constitutional or supreme courts of some other countries such as the United States , Canada and Australia . It cannot overturn any primary legislation made by Parliament . However, as with any law court in the UK, it can overturn secondary legislation if, for an example, that legislation is found to be ultra vires to
5580-430: The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom was formally established on 1 October 2009 and is a non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom . Section 23 of the Constitutional Reform Act limits the number of judges on the Court to 12, though it also allows for this rule to be amended, to further increase the number of judges, if a resolution is passed in both Houses of Parliament. It assumed
5673-417: The Supreme Court, such as Proceedings for Contempt: Mr Tim Crosland and its appeal case HM Attorney General v Crosland . The twelve justices do not all hear every case. Unless there are circumstances requiring a larger panel, a case is usually heard by a panel of five justices. More than five justices may sit on a panel where the case is of "high constitutional importance" or "great public importance"; if
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#17327652979725766-449: The United Kingdom provided that the court will "remain in all time coming". Cases at first instance are heard in the Outer House by a single judge. The Inner House hears appeals from the Outer House and all other courts and tribunals in Scotland. Only Scottish advocates and solicitor-advocates may argue cases before the court. The Court of Session has sat at Parliament House since 1707. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and
5859-451: The Valuation of Lands (Scotland) Amendment Act 1879. It hears cases where the decision of a local Valuation Appeal Committee is disputed. The senators who make up the Lands Valuation Appeal Court was specified in 2013 by the Act of Sederunt (Lands Valuation Appeal Court) 2013, which has both Lord Carloway (Lord President) and Lady Dorrian (Lord Justice Clerk) as members with a further four senators specified. Legal aid , administered by
5952-401: The case raises "an important point in relation to the European Convention on Human Rights"; if the case involves a conflict of decisions among the House of Lords, Judicial Committee of the Privy Council , or Supreme Court; or if the Court "is being asked to depart, or may decide to depart from" its (or the House of Lords') previous precedent. The composition of panels is ultimately determined by
6045-419: The cases of R (Miller) v The Prime Minister and Cherry v Advocate General for Scotland (argued and decided in 2019). The justices have never worn court dress during sittings. In November 2011, The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers allowed counsel to jointly agree to "dispense with any or all of the traditional elements of court dress" at sittings. The Supreme Court has a separate administration from
6138-401: The central government) under the Scotland Act 1998 . Nicola Sturgeon , the then-leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party , regarded the decision as "a hard pill for any supporter of independence... to swallow" but reiterated the party's commitment to "find another democratic, lawful means for Scottish people to express their will". From the Supreme Court – The Supreme Court
6231-429: The children, so the councils sought to place them in suitable Scottish accommodation. However, legislation was silent on the cross-border jurisdiction of such orders as made by the High Court of Justice. Nonetheless, equivalent orders made by a Scottish court were enforceable in England and Wales . Thus, the Court of Session found, using its inherent powers, that the orders could be applied as though they had been issued by
6324-477: The constitutional role of Parliament in holding the Government to account". It is one of only two cases that involved the presence of 11 judges (the highest number of judges currently allowed to rule on a case). The case carried a large amount of political tension in the context of the process of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union; for some, the ruling "delighted 'Remainers' but appalled 'Leavers ' ", although some Conservative MPs who sought to withdraw from
6417-461: The court, typically from serving sheriffs and sheriffs principal or advocates in private practice. The Inner House is the senior part of the Court of Session, and is both a court of appeal and a court of first instance. The Inner House has historically been the main locus of an extraordinary equitable power called the nobile officium – the High Court of Justiciary has a similar power in criminal cases. Criminal appeals in Scotland are handled by
6510-419: The court. The court is divided into the Inner House of twelve senators, which is primarily an appeal court, and the Outer House , which is primarily a court of first instance . The Inner House is further divided into divisions of six senators: the first division, presided over by the Lord President, and second division, presided over by the Lord Justice Clerk. Cases in the Inner House are normally heard before
6603-485: The development of Scots law, leading to the development and distinct character of Scots law . In modern times, the court has ruled on issues of public importance and proceedings of its Inner House have been streamed and recorded since 2023. The court now hears cases from any part of Scotland on any issue, other than criminal cases, which belong to its sister court, the High Court of Justiciary . Judges are termed Lords of Council and Session and appointed simultaneously to
6696-621: The duties that devolve on the courts of Common Law in England as connected with criminal matters, including a large portion of those done in Quarter-sessions, inasmuch as the Sheriffs, who are the next in rank to the Justiciary Judges, are held incompetent to try any case when the punishment amounts to that of transportation ; fourth, all the duties of the Court of Exchequer, (the remaining Judges of that Court having by
6789-536: The existing judges. On its founding, the court had jurisdiction over "all civil actions". Consistorial and succession causes were moved from the church courts to the Court of Session after the Reformation. As the court's jurisdiction grew, it began to direct that smaller causes be heard in the local courts, with the Court of Session acting as an appeal court. The court also developed the doctrine of nobile officium under which it had an inherent power to provide
6882-412: The few cases which were so appealed were heard by a judicial committee of five which included at least two senior Scottish judges, but the existence of this right of appeal has been criticised. This debate also spilled into the debate as to whether the judicial functions of the House of Lords and Privy Council should be consolidated in a new Supreme Court of the United Kingdom . The ability to appeal to
6975-1000: The greatest public or constitutional importance affecting the whole population. The Court usually sits in the Middlesex Guildhall in Westminster , though it can sit elsewhere and has, for example, sat in the Edinburgh City Chambers , the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast, the Tŷ Hywel Building in Cardiff and the Manchester Civil Justice Centre . The United Kingdom has a doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty and no entrenched codified constitution , so
7068-631: The king's Council. According to the Stair Memorial Encyclopedia, they were so named because the Sessions were "a court and[…] the term 'session' was used to distinguish this new court from the royal court which was peripatetic, whereas the Session sat at such places as the king appointed." By 1438, the Session was convening only yearly and it ceased altogether at a time between 1457 and 1468, with its function transferring back to
7161-617: The king's council and decided by the Lords of Council. The voluntary and unpaid nature of the office of Lord of Session was likely responsible for the Auld Session's failure. The work of the Session continued under the auspices of the king's council and in 1491, an act proclaimed that "the Chancellor with certain Lords of Council or else the Lords of Session sit for the administration of justice thrice each year… so that justice may be put to due execution to all parties complaining". These sittings, or 'sessions', became more regular. Edinburgh
7254-610: The local sheriff courts over all cases with a value of more than £ 100,000 (including personal injury claims .) Where a choice of jurisdiction exists between the Court of Session and the sheriff courts, including the Sheriff Personal Injury Court , it is for the pursuer to decide which court to raise the action in. The court sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a trial court and
7347-579: The local feudal courts had been established. Depending on the part of Scotland where the cause originated, justice might also be available from the local baron or lord of regality, sitting with the king's authority. Parties often found these courts ineffectual. Appeal of the decisions of local courts lay to the king and the Lords of Council, sitting together as the King's Council, or the Parliament of Scotland. The burden on these bodies of hearing appeals led to
7440-441: The new Court of Session. The Lord Chancellor of Scotland presided over the court. The court began providing free access to a lawyer, the advocatus pauperum , in 1534. Initially, the court's judiciary numbered fourteen and was split evenly between clerics and laymen . Judges were at first selected by the king and council, but the court grew anxious at the quality of those selected, and from 1579 nominees had to be confirmed by
7533-423: The original court. Unlike the High Court of Justiciary , which deals with Scottish criminal cases, and whose decisions cannot in general be appealed beyond Scotland, appeals could be taken from the Court of Session to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom . The constitutional settlement introduced by the Scotland Act 1998 further provided that, in cases where a 'devolution issue' arose, an appeal would lie, and
7626-587: The other courts of the United Kingdom, under a Chief Executive who is appointed by the Court's president. King Charles III [REDACTED] William, Prince of Wales [REDACTED] Charles III ( King-in-Council ) [REDACTED] Starmer ministry ( L ) Keir Starmer ( L ) Angela Rayner ( L ) ( King-in-Parliament ) [REDACTED] Charles III [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Lord Reed The Lord Hodge Andrew Bailey Monetary Policy Committee In Scotland,
7719-539: The powers in primary legislation allowing it to be made. Further, under section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998 , the Supreme Court, like some other courts in the United Kingdom, may make a declaration of incompatibility , indicating that it believes that the legislation subject to the declaration is incompatible with one of the rights in the European Convention on Human Rights . Such a declaration can apply to primary or secondary legislation. The legislation
7812-436: The senators, noting that "a Civil Judge in the Supreme Court in Scotland received only £ 2,000" and the masters in the Court of Chancery were paid £ 2,500. A select committee was appointed to investigate the matter. In October 1834, The Spectator reported on the conflicting views around the remuneration and working conditions of the judges of the Court of Session, with conflicting views being presented in response to
7905-569: The sheriff court because these do not merit the attention of Inner House judges except in very exceptional cases. This will free up Inner House judges to deal with more complex matters. The Oath of Allegiance is taken by holders of political office in Scotland before the Lord President of the Court of Session at a meeting of the court. Civil procedure in Scotland is regulated by the Court of Session through Acts of Sederunt , which are subordinate legislation and take legal force as Scottish statutory instruments . The power to enact Acts of Sederunt
7998-465: The sheriff courts being heard by an appeal sheriff sitting in the Sheriff Appeal Court. Such appeals are binding on all sheriff courts in Scotland, and appeals can only be remitted (transferred) to the Inner House where they are deemed to be of wider public interest, raise a significant point of law , or are particularly complex: ... the rationale for the establishment of the Sheriff Appeal Court, that it will deal with virtually all civil appeals from
8091-540: The test. When the state invests judicial authority in those officials or even their day-to-day colleagues, it puts the independence and impartiality of the courts at risk. Consequently, it was hypothesised closely connected decisions of the Law Lords to debates had by friends or on which the Lord Chancellor had expressed a view might be challenged on human-rights grounds on the basis that they had not constituted
8184-497: Was HM Treasury v Ahmed , which concerned "the separation of powers", according to Phillips, its inaugural President. At issue was the extent to which Parliament has, by the United Nations Act 1946 , delegated to the executive the power to legislate. Resolution of this issue depended upon the approach properly to be adopted by the court in interpreting legislation which may affect fundamental rights at common law or under
8277-409: Was "unlikely". The reforms were controversial and were brought forward with little consultation but were subsequently extensively debated in Parliament. During 2004, a select committee of the House of Lords scrutinised the arguments for and against setting up a new court. The Government estimated the set-up cost of the Supreme Court at £56.9 million. The first case heard by the Supreme Court
8370-401: Was fixed as the location for the sessions, addressing a frustrating feature of the royal courts – litigants would summon an opponent to appear at one place on one date, but by that day the king may have decided to move onto another location. The summons would fail and the litigant would have to spend considerable money both following the court and issuing a fresh summons. The Lords of Council and
8463-567: Was increased to maintain the number of lords in the court. The Court of Session is explicitly preserved "in all time coming" in Article XIX of the Treaty of Union between England and Scotland, subsequently passed into legislation by the Acts of Union in 1706 and 1707 respectively. The office of Extraordinary Lord of Session was abolished in 1762. Outer House judges continue to be addressed in
8556-545: Was much public criticism of their effectiveness. The article noted that the judges were entitled to 7 months vacation in each year. The Spectator also asserted that civil justice was out of the reach of the poor in Scotland. In 1887 all of the Lords of Session were made Lords Commissioners of Justiciary, and thus judges of the High Court of Justiciary, following the passage of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1887 ( 50 & 51 Vict. c. 35). Decisions of
8649-521: Was restated by the Court of Session Act 1988 . The Court of Session is also the admiralty court for Scotland, having been given the duties of that court by the provisions of the Court of Session Act 1830 . The boundaries of the jurisdiction of the Court of Session in maritime cases were specified in 1999 by an Order in Council : the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999 . The jurisdiction of
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