Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971
Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))
1971 c. 58
An Act to amend the law with respect to sheriff courts in Scotland, and for purposes connected therewith.

Part I Constitution, Organisation and Administration

General duty of the Secretary of State

1 Secretary of State to be responsible for organisation and administration of sheriff courts.
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Sheriffdoms

2 Power of Secretary of State to alter sheriffdoms.
(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 2(3) repealed (1.4.2015) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/700), arts. 1(4), 2(3)
(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sheriff court districts and places where sheriff courts are to be held

3 Sheriff court districts and places where sheriff courts are to be held.
(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 3(4) repealed (1.4.2015) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/700), arts. 1(4), 2(3)
(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(5A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sheriffs principal and sheriffs

4 Offices of sheriff principal and sheriff.
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S. 4 repealed (E.W.N.I) (1.4.2015 for specified purposes, 22.9.2015 for specified purposes) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/700), art. 1(11)(e), Sch. para. 6
Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9)

5 Qualification for offices of sheriff principal and sheriff.
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5A Retiring age for sheriff principal and sheriff.
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6 Disqualification of sheriffs principal and sheriffs.
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7 Jurisdiction of sheriff.
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8 Sheriff may be appointed to assist Secretary of State.
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Functions of the Secretary of State in relation to sheriffs principal, sheriffs, et ceteralaetc.

9 Power of Secretary of State to give administrative directions.
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10 Secretary of State may authorise sheriff principal or direct sheriff to act in another sheriffdom.
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11 Secretary of State may appoint temporary sheriffs principal and sheriffs.
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11A Appointment of part-time sheriffs
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11B Limitation, termination etc. of appointment of part-time sheriffs
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11C Removal of part-time sheriffs from office
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11D Regulations and orders under sections 11A and 11C
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12 Removal from office, and suspension, of sheriff principal or sheriff.
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Consideration of fitness for, and removal from, shrieval office

12A Tribunal to consider fitness for shrieval office
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12B Suspension during investigation
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12C Further provision about tribunals
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12D Report of tribunal
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12E Removal from office
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12F Interpretation of sections 12A to 12E
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13 Functions of Secretary of State with respect to residence and leave of absence of sheriffs principal.
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14 Functions of Secretary of State with respect to number, residence and place of duties of sheriffs.
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14A Re-employment of retired sheriffs principal and sheriffs
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Functions of the sheriff principal in relation to sheriffs, et ceteralaetc.

15 Efficient disposal of business in sheriff courts
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16 Functions of sheriff principal with respect to duties and leave of absence of sheriffs.
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17 Sheriff principal may fix sittings and business of sheriff courts in sheriffdom, and sessions for civil business.
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17A Lord President's power to exercise functions in sections 15 to 17
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18 Secretary of State may exercise certain functions of sheriff principal in certain circumstances.
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Miscellaneous

19 Travelling allowances for sheriffs principal.
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20 Extension of purposes for which Lord Advocate may give instructions to procurators fiscal.
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21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

22 Saving for existing functions.
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Part II Court houses, buildings and offices

23 Transfer of court houses to Secretary of State.
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24 Provision and maintenance of court houses by Secretary of State.
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25 Use of public buildings for holding of courts.
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26 Use of court houses by third parties.
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27 Compensation for officers and servants.
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28 Repeal and amendment of local enactments.
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29 Determination of disputes.
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30 Interpretation of Part II.
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Part III Civil jurisdiction, procedure and appeals

31 Upper limit to privative jurisdiction of sheriff court to be £250.
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Regulation of procedure in civil proceedings

32 Power of Court of Session to regulate civil procedure in sheriff court.
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32A Rules for lay representation
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33 Sheriff Court Rules Council.
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34 Functions of Sheriff Court Rules Council.
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Summary causes

35 Summary causes.
(1) The definition of “summary cause” contained in paragraph (i) of section 3 of the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907 shall cease to have effect, and for the purposes of the procedure and practice in civil proceedings in the sheriff court there shall be a form of process, to be known as a “summary cause”, which shall be used for the purposes of all civil proceedings brought in that court, being proceedings of one or other of the following descriptions, namely—
(a) actions for payment of money not exceeding £5000 in amount (exclusive of interest and expenses);
Words in s. 35(1)(a) substituted (14.1.2008) by The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (Privative Jurisdiction and Summary Cause) Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/507), art. 3 (with art. 4)
(b) actions of multiplepoinding, actions of furthcoming . . . , where the value of the fundin medio, or the value of the arrested fund or subject, . . . as the case may be, does not exceed £5000 (exclusive of interest and expenses);
Words in s. 35(1)(b) repealed (1.4.2008) by Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 3), ss. 226, 227, Sch. 6 (with s. 223); S.S.I. 2008/115, art. 3(1)(h)(2)(3), Sch. 2 (with arts. 4-6, 10)
Words in s. 35(1)(b) substituted (14.1.2008) by The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (Privative Jurisdiction and Summary Cause) Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/507), art. 3 (with art. 4)
(c) actionsad factum praestandum and actions for the recovery of possession of heritable or moveable property, other than actions in which there is claimed in addition, or as an alternative, to a decreead factum praestandumor for such recovery, as the case may be, a decree for payment of money exceeding £5000 in amount (exclusive of interest and expenses);
S. 35(1)(c) excluded by Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974 (c. 38), s. 9(6)
Words in s. 35(1)(c) substituted (14.1.2008) by The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1971 (Privative Jurisdiction and Summary Cause) Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/507), art. 3 (with art. 4)
(d) proceedings which, according to the law and practice existing immediately before the commencement of this Act, might competently be brought in the sheriff’s small debt court or were required to be conducted and disposed of in the summary manner in which proceedings were conducted and disposed of under the Small Debt Acts;
and any reference in the following provisions of this Act, or in any other enactment (whether passed or made before or after the commencement of this Act) relating to civil procedure in the sheriff court, to a summary cause shall be construed as a reference to a summary cause within the meaning of this subsection.
S. 35(1) excluded (22.9.2015) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 3, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/247), arts. 1(1), 9(1) (with art. 9(2))
1907 c. 51.
(1A) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that nothing in subsection (1) above shall prevent the Court of Session from making different rules of procedure and practice in relation to different descriptions of summary cause proceedings.
S. 35(1A) inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 36:1), s. 59, Sch. 2 para. 14
(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))
(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 35: power to transfer functions conferred (19.5.1999) by S.I. 1999/678, art. 2(1), Sch.

36 Procedure in summary causes.
(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2) A summary cause shall be commenced by a summons in, or as nearly as is practicable in, such form as may be prescribed by rules under the said section 32.
(3) The evidence, if any, given in a summary cause shall not be recorded.
S. 36(3) excluded by Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972 (c. 18), s. 4(4)(b)
(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

36A Further provisions as to small claims.
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Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))

36B Expenses in small claims.
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Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))

37 Remits.
(1) In the case of any ordinary cause brought in the sheriff court the sheriff —
(a) shall at any stage, on the joint motion of the parties to the cause, direct that the cause be treated as a summary cause, and in that case the cause shall be treated for all purposes (including appeal) as a summary cause and shall proceed accordingly
(b) . . . . . .
“—(a)” inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 55, SIF 36:3), s. 16(a)(i)(ii)
(2) In the case of any summary cause, the sheriff at any stage—
(a) shall, on the joint motion of the parties to the cause, and
(b) may, on the motion of any of the parties to the cause, if he is of the opinion that the importance or difficulty of the cause makes it appropriate to do so,
direct that the cause be treated as an ordinary cause, and in that case the cause shall be treated for all purposes (including appeal) as an ordinary cause and shall proceed accordingly:
Provided that a direction under this subsection may, in the case of an action for the recovery of possession of heritable or moveable property, be given by the sheriff of his own accord.
(2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2D) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(3) A decision—
(a) to remit, or not to remit, under subsection (2A) (2B) or (2C) above; or
Words inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 36:1), s. 18(3)(b)
(b) to make, or not to make, a direction by virtue of paragraph ( b ) of, or the proviso to, subsection (2) above,
shall not be subject to review; but from a decision to remit, or not to remit, under subsection (1)( b ) above an appeal shall lie to the Court of Session.
S. 37(3) substituted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 55, SIF 36:3), s. 16(c)
(4) In this section “sheriff” includes a sheriff principal.

38 Appeal in summary causes.
In the case of —
(a) any summary cause an appeal shall lie to the sheriff principal on any point of law from the final judgment of the sheriff; and
(b) any summary cause ... an appeal shall lie to the Court of Session on any point of law from the final judgment of the sheriff principal, if the sheriff principal certifies the cause as suitable for such an appeal,
Act (except for ss. 2(3), 3(4)) repealed (S.) (1.4.2015 except for the repeal of ss. 31, 35, 36(2)(3), 36A, 36B, 37, 38, 45, 22.9.2015 for the repeal of ss. 31, 37(1)(b)(2A)(2D), 28.11.2016 for the repeal of ss. 35(2)-(4), 36A, 36B, 37(2B)(2C) and the repeal of specified words in s. 38(b)) by Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 18), s. 138(2), sch. 5 para. 6(2); S.S.I. 2015/77, art. 2(2)(3), sch. (with art. 7); S.S.I. 2015/247, art. 2, sch. (with art. 9); S.S.I. 2016/291, art. 2, sch. (with art. 3(1)(2))
but save as aforesaid an interlocutor of the sheriff or the sheriff principal in any such cause shall not be subject to review.
S. 38 applied (with modifications) (1.1.2016) by The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 5, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/378), arts. 1(1), 4
S. 38 excluded by Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987 (c. 18, SIF 45:2), ss. 103(1), 108(2), Sch. 7 paras. 5, 9(1)
Words substituted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 36:1), s. 18(4)

Miscellaneous and supplemental

39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

41 Power of Her Majesty to vary limit to privative jurisdiction of sheriff court, etc.
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42 Application of provisions regarding jurisdiction and summary causes.
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Part IV Miscellaneous and General

43 Orders, etc.
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44 Expenses.
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45 Interpretation.
(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—
(a) references to a sheriff principal include references to a temporary sheriff principal, and references to the office of sheriff principal include references to an appointment as a temporary sheriff principal;
(b) references to a sheriff include references to a part-time sheriff and an honorary sheriff, and references to the office of sheriff include references to an appointment as a part-timesheriff and to the office of honorary sheriff;
Words in s. 45(1)(b) substituted (9.8.2000) by 2000 asp 9, s. 12, Sch. para. 1(12)
(c) references to an honorary sheriff are references to a person holding the office of honorary sheriff in his capacity as such.
(2) In this Act—
(a) “enactment” includes an order, regulation, rule or other instrument having effect by virtue of an Act;
(b) any reference to any enactment shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended or extended, and as including a reference thereto as applied, by or under any other enactment (including this Act).
(3) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section and to any other express provision of this Act, expressions used in this Act and in the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907 shall have the same meanings in this Act as in that Act.
1907 c. 51.

46 Amendment and repeal of enactments.
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47 Short title, commencement and extent.
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SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 Minor and Consequential Amendment of Enactments
Section 46(1).

General
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Execution of Diligence (Scotland) Act 1926
2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Tenancy of Shops (Scotland) Act 1949
3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SCHEDULE 2 Repeal of Enactments
Section 46(2).

Part I General Repeals
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Part II Repeals Consequent on Sections 35 to 38 of this Act
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