Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (“FOISA”) any person can make a request to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to seek access to information. The SCTS will be obliged to provide that information, unless a reason under FOISA means that information cannot be provided.
SCTS Guide for information
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is required to publish and maintain a Guide to Information which gives details of the range of information that we routinely publish. It also provides details of how you can access this information, and tells you whether it is available free, or if there is a charge.
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Guide for Information
Making a FOI enquiry
If you are unable to locate the information you require from the Guide to Information then you can contact us directly. When writing to us to request information, please include your name and address and full details of the information you would like to receive. This will assist us in trying to identify the information covered by your enquiry. Please also include a telephone number so we can telephone you to clarify any details, if necessary. We aim to reply to all requests for information within the statutory deadline of 20 working days.
Please note that courts, tribunals, their staff, tribunal members and judges are not designated public authorities in terms of FOISA. Unlike the SCTS, they are not required to make information available in response to requests. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, as an independent statutory body, is a public authority in terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 but is responsible only for the administration - through support in the form of staff, buildings and technology - of tribunals and courts in Scotland. For more information, see the Scottish Information Commissioner's exemption briefing note on section 37 of FOISA.
Contact by Email:
foi@scotcourts.gov.uk
Contact by Post:
The Freedom of Information Officer
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Headquarters
Saughton House - Spur N1
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD
Review
If you are not satisfied with a response provided by the SCTS – or if we have failed to respond at all - then you may seek a review of our handling of your request.This can be made by post or e-mail. Your request for a review should provide details of why you wish a review to be carried out and should be made within 40 working days of receipt of our response (or the 20th working day after you submitted your request) to:-
The Freedom of Information Officer
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
Saughton House – Spur N1
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD
foi@scotcourts.gov.uk
Following that review should you still feel dissatisfied, you have the right to lodge an appeal with the Scottish Information Commissioner either online:
http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Unhappywiththeresponse/AppealingtoCommissioner.aspx
or at the following address:-
Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St. Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS