Supreme Court to sit in Edinburgh this June in historic legal first

Several appeals will be heard over up to four days in June, with at least five of the Supreme Court justices sitting over the course of the visit. The list of cases to be heard during the visit is in the process of being finalised.

The court will sit in the City Chambers, home of City of Edinburgh Council, and built originally as the Royal Exchange. Provision will be made for extensive public seating for those interested in observing proceedings at first hand.

As the Supreme Court will not be sitting in a Scottish court building and will be following its standard rules and procedures, it is envisaged that proceedings will be filmed and relayed live online in the usual way.

Court staff will also use the opportunity to offer public talks about its work when the Justices are not sitting.

Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court, said: “We make every effort to ensure our proceedings are accessible throughout the UK via our free live streaming service. However, nothing beats being able to observe courts at first hand. We look forward to welcoming members of the public as well as lawyers during what is intended to be the first of a number of visits to the capital cities of the devolved nations.”

The Lord President, Lord Carloway, who will sit alongside Supreme Court justices to hear at least one appeal during the court’s visit to Edinburgh, said: “The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal in the UK for civil cases. I am delighted that it will sit in Edinburgh later this year, in the first of a number of planned visits to cities outside London.

“I welcome the opportunity it provides for the public and the legal community in Scotland to see the court in action.”

Further details of public and media access arrangements, and the court listings, will be published in due course.

Gordon Jackson QC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, said: “This is most welcome news, and the Faculty will be delighted to assist in any way. Hopefully, this visit will help give the people of Scotland a better understanding of the important role this court has.”