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Criminal Courts Rules Council

The Criminal Courts Rules Council was established under section 304 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.

Current membership

  • The Lord Justice General
  • The Lord Justice Clerk (Chair)
  • The Clerk of Justiciary (Yvonne Taylor)
  • Sheriff Ian Cruickshank
  • Sheriff Paul Brown
  • Sheriff Iain Fleming (Appeal Sheriff)
  • Ian Dickson (Scottish Legal Aid Board)
  • The Hon. Lord Matthews
  • Anna Donald (Scottish Government)
  • Stuart Fair (Justice of the Peace)
  • Kate Wallace (Victim Support Scotland) 
  • Wendy Robertson (Sheriff Clerk) 
  • Frances McMenamin KC (Faculty of Advocates) 
  • Michael Meehan KC (Faculty of Advocates) 
  • Ruth McQuaid (Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)
  • Stuart Munro (Solicitor)
  • Laura Buchan (Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)
  • The Rt Hon. Lord Mulholland
  • Dr Gabrielle Watson (University of Edinburgh)
  • Michael Gallen (Solicitor)

Secretariat

Edward McHugh, Deputy Legal Secretary to the Lord President

Functions

  • To keep under general review the procedures and practices of the courts exercising criminal jurisdiction in Scotland
  • To consider and comment on any draft Act of Adjournal submitted to it by the High Court.

Standing orders

Membership criteria

The criteria for membership of the Council are set out in sections 304(2) and (3) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. The Lord Justice General, the Lord Justice Clerk and the Clerk of Justiciary hold office ex officio. The other members of the Council are appointed by the Lord Justice General under section 304(2)(b) to (f). A further member is appointed by the Scottish Ministers under section 304(2)(f). Members, other than ex officio members, hold office for three years and are eligible for reappointment provided that they retain the qualifications for membership.

Meetings

The next meetings of the Council are scheduled to take place on 16 October 2024 and 26 February 2025.

13 February 2024

15 May 2024

11 October 2023

30 May 2023

15 February 2023

 

23 November 2022

21 February 2022

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Contact information

Any suggestions for changes to the Criminal Procedure Rules should be directed to:

The Lord President’s Private Office,
Parliament House,
 Edinburgh,
 EH1 1RQ

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Freedom of information

The Council became subject to the provisions of The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 on 28 May 2013.

A Publication Scheme and Guide to Information explaining how the Council handles information and how to make a request under the Act is available here.