Banff Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court

All Commissary Applications for Peterhead and Banff Sheriff Court jurisdiction should now be lodged at Peterhead Sheriff Court with the exception of dative petitions for Banff Sheriff Court jurisdiction, these should continue to be lodged at Banff Sheriff Court. Commissary business should no longer be sent to Hub Courts for processing.

Latest covid-19 information

Please check the latest covid-19 information.

Hub Courts for new, first instance custodies

New, first instance custody cases will continue to be heard in hub courts as first instance cases in each Sheriffdom as follows. Thereafter, if a further substantive hearing is assigned this will be to the court of local jurisdiction. Custodies for Banff Sheriff Court are being processed at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

  

Sheriffdom orders

The following Sheriffdom guidance, information and practice notes apply to this court.

Please also refer to the Rules and Practice section of the website.

Built around 1871, the Court was designed by architect James Matthews of Aberdeen. As well as the Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, the building houses the Procurator Fiscal’s Office, the Council Chambers and some Aberdeenshire Council Offices.

There is one courtroom within Banff Sheriff Court. The Sheriff Court normally sits on Mondays Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays every second week and the Justice of the Peace Court sits every fourth Thursday. There is one full time resident Sheriff at Banff, currently Sheriff Robert McDonald., but many other part-time Sheriffs sit at Banff occasionally.

All Commissary Confirmations for Banff Sheriff Court will be processed at Peterhead Sheriff Court. Banff Sheriff Court will deal with dative petitions, registering of deeds, miscellaneous commissary applications and small estate interviews requiring a personal visit to the court. If you are unsure of what we can deal with please telephone the Sheriff Clerk’s Office

Contact details

Postal address

Sheriff Court House,
Low Street,
Banff,
AB45 1AU

Main telephone

01261 812140

Main contact

Sheriff clerk: Bruce Graham 

DX

521325 

Email

banff@scotcourts.gov.uk
banffcivil@scotcourts.gov.uk

Opening times

Monday - Thursday 09:00 - 16:30,
Friday 09:00 - 16:00.

The office is closed between 13:00 and 14:00 daily for lunch.

For Out of Hours Applications please contact Aberdeen Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Court.

The Sheriff Clerks Office will be closed from 1pm for staff training on the following dates. Urgent enquiries can be made to Banff@scotcourts.gov.uk



2023:

January 20, February 17, March 17, April 14, May 12, June 12, July 7, August 4, September 1, September 29, October 26, November 24, December 22.

 

Accessibility contact

If you require the support of an interpreter when you contact a court (by phone or attend in person), a telephone interpretation service is available.  To access this service ask for telephone interpreting and the language required. This service is NOT available during actual court proceedings.

If you use British Sign Language (BSL) and wish to phone us using a sign language interpreter, you can use the online video relay interpreting service. For more information see the contactSCOTLAND website. www.contactscotland-bsl.org

Directions

The court house is located on Low Street it is the first building on the right when entering from the High Street.

Use the Journey Planner for public transportation information.

By bus

Buses from Aberdeen and Elgin arrive and depart at least once per hour. The towns of Macduff, Turriff, Portsoy, Whitehills and Fyvie are served by this route. There are also services which serve the Aberchirder, Gardenstown and Cornhill areas. Please check timetables as these are liable to change.

The bus stop is 200 yards from the court off Low Street.

Please visit stagecoach for bus timetables or use the journey planner.

By rail

There is no railway station at Banff the nearest railway stations are Elgin (35 miles), Huntly (21 miles) and Keith (21 miles). Visit ScotRail or National Rail Enquiries for train times.

By car

There are no parking facilities at the court house. St May's car park is located next to the court. Some spaces painted green are free - please see signs within the car park. All other spaces require a pay and display ticket, charges are displayed on the ticket machines.

By air

The nearest airport is Aberdeen (46 miles), and at Inverness (75 miles).

On arrival

Please report to the sheriff clerk's office on the ground floor on arrival or to the court officer. You will then be directed to the appropriate area. 

There is access for disabled people through a separate gate at the front of the building, and a ramp up to the front door. Alternative access, other than through the main front door, for witnesses or anyone who feels vulnerable, can be arranged if contact is made with the sheriff clerk's office prior to attendance

All witness should report to the court officer in the foyer or report to the Sheriff Clerk's office.

Facilities

There are no food or drink facilities in the court house. There are several cafes and hotels nearby, please ask staff for information or see notices on notice boards. Witnesses are advised that they should bring refreshments with them prior to attending court. No food or drink is allowed in the court room. 

A loop induction system is available in the courtroom and Sheriff Clerk's office for hearing aid users. Please contact 01261 812140.

Pay a Fine

If you want to pay your fine or would like information and advice please visit our Pay a fine page

Public Holidays

2023

January 2, 3
April 7, 10
May 1, 8
June 5
July 3
August 28
December 4, 25, 26

Complaints

Please refer to the complaints and feedback page.

Useful Links

• Procurator Fiscal
• Victim Support Scotland
• Scottish Prison Service
• Office of the Public Guardian
• Scottish Children's Reporter
• Aberdeenshire Council
• Police Scotland