Court restrictions extended due to continued high transmission of Covid-19

Lord Carloway

This means that the criminal courts will continue to focus on the most serious trials and the majority of summary trials in the Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court will be adjourned. This will reduce the overall number of criminal trials taking place during lockdown by up to 75 per cent.

All courts will remain open for business during March but remain closed to the general public. All criminal jury trials in the High Court and Sheriff Court will continue as planned.

All new custody cases and summary custody trials in the Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace courts will continue to be heard. With the exception of a limited number of priority cases with a trial diet already set in March, all other non-custody trials where an intermediate diet has already taken place will be administratively adjourned.

Provision will remain for the Crown to accelerate priority or urgent trials, such as those involving allegations of domestic abuse or child witnesses. All intermediate diets, with the attendance of the accused excused, and remand court hearings will continue, with remote representation supported where possible.

All High Court criminal and civil appeals and the Sheriff Appeal Court, the Bail Appeal Court, Office of the Public Guardian and tribunals will continue to operate virtually and remotely, as they have been doing throughout the pandemic.