Edinburgh Sheriff Court
Edinburgh Sheriff Court
Map
55°56′52″N 3°11′26″W / 55.9478°N 3.1906°W / 55.9478; -3.1906
LocationEdinburgh, Scotland
Coordinates55°56′52″N 3°11′26″W / 55.9478°N 3.1906°W / 55.9478; -3.1906
Number of positions13
Sheriff Principal
CurrentlyNigel Ross
Since2022

Edinburgh Sheriff Court is a sheriff court in Chambers Street in Edinburgh, within the sheriffdom of Edinburgh and Borders.

History

A courtroom in Edinburgh Sheriff Court

Until the mid-1990s, hearings took place in the Old Sheriff Court in the Lawnmarket.[1] However, as the number of court cases in Edinburgh grew, it became necessary to commission a modern courthouse for criminal matters. The site they selected had previously been occupied by a part of Heriot-Watt University.[2][3]

The new courthouse was designed by John Kirkwood Wilson of PSA Projects,[4] built in buff sandstone[5] at a cost of £47 million,[2] and was officially opened to the public by the sheriff principal, Gordon Nicholson, in September 1994.[6][7][8] The Cowgate elevation is eight storeys high and public access is to be building, which on the fourth level, is from Chambers Street.[4] Internally, the building was laid out to accommodate 16 courtrooms.[9]

Operations

The court deals with both criminal and civil cases. There are currently thirteen sheriffs in post at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.[10] They sit alone in civil cases and are assisted by a jury of fifteen members selected from the electoral roll in some criminal cases (cases using solemn procedure only). The Sheriff Principal is Nigel Ross who was appointed in 2022.[11]

References

  1. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "High Court (Former Sheriff Court), 413-431 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh (LB27598)". Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  3. ^ Lawrie, Scott J. (1 May 1996). "The Edinburgh College of Art (1904 - 1969): A Study in Institutional History" (PDF). Edinburgh College of Art (Heriot Watt University). p. 3. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Scottish Courts". Historic Scotland. 1 October 2014. p. 28. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Sheriff Courthouse, Edinburgh". Stirling Stone. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Edinburgh Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court". Scottish Courts and Tribunals. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  7. ^ Stewart, Alan (2015). Tracing Your Edinburgh Ancestors: A Guide for Family and Local Historians. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1473879348.
  8. ^ "New £47m courthouse gathers all under one roof again". Herald Scotland. 13 September 1994. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  9. ^ "Doors Open Days at Edinburgh Sheriff Court". Citizens Advice Edinburgh. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  10. ^ "List of Scottish sheriffs". Scottish Courts and Tribunals. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Nigel Ross appointed as sheriff principal of Lothian and Borders". Scottish Legal News. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.

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