About the Justiciary Office

The Justiciary Office provides the administrative services for the High Court of Justiciary, the Court of Criminal Appeal and the Sheriff Appeal Court Criminal Appeals. The offices are situated within Parliament House, Edinburgh and there is also an office in the High Court in Glasgow.

The Deputy Principal Clerk oversees the day to day running of the Justiciary Office.

The Deputy Principal Clerk of Justiciary

The Deputy Principal Clerk of Justiciary, supports the Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary in the administration, organisation and co-ordination of the work of the High Court of Justiciary and the Sheriff Appeal Court (Criminal Appeals).

Contact the office

Location and postal address

Ross Martin
Deputy Principal Clerk of Justiciary 
Parliament House
Edinburgh
EH1 1RQ

Deputy Principal Clerk of Justiciary

Ross Martin

Phone

0131 225 2595

First Instance (East)

This section provides administrative support in respect of First Instance proceedings to High Court Sittings throughout Scotland with the exception of Glasgow. This section is responsible for the following:

• All Applications that are lodged in respect of cases that are next calling in either Edinburgh High Court or any of the circuit court locations
• All enquiries in respect of cases that are next calling in either Edinburgh High Court or any of the circuit locations
• All post disposal request in respect of all High Court Proceedings, an example of post disposal requests is an application for an Extract Conviction, or a media enquiry about a historic case
• All post disposal applications in respect of all High Court First Instance Proceedings, such as breach of community payback orders
• The archiving of all High Court Proceedings
• The retention of all evidence captured by commission in High Court Proceedings
• The administrative management of all proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime (Scotland) Act 2002
• The registration of cases calling, in Edinburgh and at Circuit Court Locations in terms of Section 76 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

Contact First Instance (East)

Email

firstinstancehighcourt@scotcourts.gov.uk

Phone

0131 240 6907

First Instance (West)

This office is located within the High Court of Justiciary, Saltmarket, Glasgow. It provides the administrative support for all cases calling in Glasgow. This office is responsible for the following:

• The registration of all Preliminary Hearings and Section 76 Diets that are calling at Glasgow High Court
• The Administrations of all papers lodged in respect of Preliminary Hearings
• All applications lodged in respect of First Instance cases that are calling in Glasgow High Court, for example Vulnerable Witness Applications

Contact First Instance (West)

Email

highcourtglasgow@scotcourts.gov.uk

Phone

0141 552 3795

Criminal Appeals

The Criminal Appeals section processes all appeals in solemn cases - the procedure where during a trial the presiding judge sits with a jury. It requests reports from the judge who heard the case, sends these to the appellant and the Crown and processes applications for leave to appeal. It sends notice of the result to parties. Where leave to appeal is granted, the section assign cases to the appropriate Court and eventually send details of the outcome to the prison service, police records office and the First Instance court. If leave to appeal is refused it sends details of the outcome to the prison service, police records office and the First Instance court and issues any warrant to the appropriate authorities.

The staff in the section also deal with a range of queries in relation to the above matters whether from correspondence, telephone calls or persons attending at the public counter.

This section is also responsible for the administration of applications for transcript of proceedings. Find more information about Criminal Proceedings Transcripts.

Contact Criminal Appeals

Email

solemnappeals@scotcourts.gov.uk

Phone

0131 240 6909

Sheriff Appeal Court Criminal Appeals (Summary Appeals)

The Sheriff Appeal Court section processes all appeals in summary cases the procedure where during a trial the presiding judge sits without a jury. The section processes applications for leave to appeal and notifies parties of the result. Where leave to appeal is granted, the section assign cases to the appropriate Court and eventually send details of the outcome to the prison service, police records office and the lower court.

If leave to appeal is refused it sends details of the outcome to the prison service, police records office and the lower court and issues any warrant to the appropriate authorities.

The staff in the section also deal with a range of queries whether by post, telephone or from persons attending at the public counter. The staff within this section also process bail appeals from the Sheriff and District Courts throughout Scotland.

Contact Sheriff Appeal Court Criminal Appeals (Summary Appeals)

Email

summaryappeals@scotcourts.gov.uk

Phone

0131 240 6912