Civil justice statistics published

 

The latest civil justice figures, published by Scotland’s Chief Statistician, show a total of 76,800 cases were initiated in 2014-15, the lowest since current statistics began in 2008-09.

There has been little change in the figures for the last three years, “suggesting the downward trend may have come to an end." The statistics show the situation before the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

Debt cases continue to make up nearly half of civil law cases heard in sheriff courts, and while their number has fallen 49 per cent from 2008-09 to 33,800, it is pointed out that there are multiple routes for resolving disputes over debt and non-court options possibly are becoming increasingly favoured.

Cases raised at the Court of Session in 2014-15 were up 13 per cent on the previous year to 5,200. The increase was mainly due to a 224 per cent rise in clinical negligence cases.

Full details at http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Lowest-number-of-civil-law-cases-2417.aspx