List of courts in Scotland

Part of a series on
Scots law
Administration Justice and Communities Directorate of the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Justice Judicial Appointments Board Judicial Complaints Reviewer Parole Board for Scotland Legal Aid Board Courts & Tribunals Service College of Justice Office of the Public Guardian Scottish Sentencing Council Law Commission Criminal Cases Review Commission Prison Service
Civil courts Court of Session Lord President Lord Justice Clerk Lord of Session Office of the Accountant of Court Acts of Sederunt Sheriff Court Sheriff Appeal Court Sheriff Principal Sheriff Personal Injury Court Sheriff
Criminal courts High Court of Justiciary Lord Justice-General Lord Justice Clerk Lords Commissioner of Justiciary Acts of Adjournal Sheriff courts Sheriff Appeal Court Sheriff Principal Sheriffs Justice of the peace courts Justices of the peace
Special courts Court of the Lord Lyon Lord Lyon King of Arms Children's Reporter Administration Children's Hearings Land Court Lands Tribunal Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal
Criminal prosecution Lord Advocate Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Advocate Depute Procurator fiscal Fiscal fine Precognition
Legal profession Judiciary Faculty of Advocates Advocate Law Society Solicitor-Advocate Solicitor Association of Commercial Attorneys Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
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The courts of Scotland are part of the Scottish legal system. Each court has its own jurisdiction and in many cases, a right of appeal lies from one to another. Courts apply Scots law. Criminal cases are prosecuted by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service.^[1] Scotland's supreme criminal court is the High Court of Justiciary. ^[2] The Court of Session is the supreme Scottish civil court^[3] but UK-wide courts can review decisions of great public or constitutional importance.

Scots law is developed and interpreted by the courts of Scotland, particularly the supreme courts. Most civil law disputes will be resolved by the lower courts or tribunals. A great number of disputes are resolved extrajudicially. Scots law provides for the binding settlement of civil disputes, including through voluntary mediation, and arbitration. An increasing number of ombudsmen and other authorities have the authority to resolve disputes. The Procurator Fiscal Service obviates the criminal courts in many cases through the use of fiscal fines and other alternatives to prosecution. While most prosecutions will result in a plea of guilty, accused persons must still appear in court to plead guilty and for sentencing. All bail proceedings in Scotland are heard in the sheriff courts, regardless of the court in which the accused might eventually be prosecuted.