Summer recess to end under major change in Court of Session timetable

 

A major change to the timetable of the Court of Session, allowing it to sit throughout the year, has been announced by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS).

Under a Direction issued by the Lord President, Lord Carloway, the traditional three court terms of the Legal Year will effectively be abolished from the start of the legal year 2017-18.

Two vacation periods, each of a fortnight, will be observed at Christmas and Easter, while the summer recess will end.

“To a great extent, this aligns the practice of the Court of Session generally with the existing practice in some courts – such as the criminal courts and the Commercial Division,” said the SCTS.

“It will allow greater flexibility in programming the work of the courts over the Legal Year.”

The announcement is at http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/about-the-scottish-court-service/scs-news/2016/09/26/court-of-session-sitting-dates-changes-for-legal-year-2017-18