Summary sheriffs appointed

More than twenty summary sheriffs have been appointed to a role created as part of major reform of Scotland’s courts.

The new judicial office of summary sheriff was created to deal with some types of civil and criminal cases in the sheriff court.

The 21 new sheriffs, who join the first ever 15 summary sheriffs appointed last year, will take up office in March.

The appointments are as follows:

Summary sheriffs appointed to the Sheriffdom of Glasgow and Strathkelvin, sitting at Glasgow Sheriff Court, are: Shona Gilroy, Gerard Bonnar, Barry Divers and Diana McConnell.

Summary sheriffs appointed to the Sheriffdom of Lothian and Borders, based between Edinburgh and Livingston are: John Cook, Adrian Cottam, Peter McCormack and John MacRitchie.

Summary sheriffs appointed to the Sheriffdom of North Strathclyde are: John Hamilton QC, Michael Hanlon, Craig Harris, Daniel Kelly and Moira McKenzie.

Summary sheriffs appointed to the Sheriffdom of Tayside Central and Fife are: Alison McKay, Jillian Martin-Brown, James MacDonald, John Rafferty and Derek Reekie.

Summary sheriffs appointed to the Sheriffdom of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway, based at Hamilton Sheriff Court, are: Ross Macfarlane QC and Linda Nicolson.

Eilidh MacDonald has been appointed as a summary sheriff for the Sheriffdom of Grampian, Highland and Islands based at Peterhead Sheriff Court.

Background

Her Majesty the Queen has appointed twenty-one Summary Sheriffs on the recommendation of the First Minister.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made her recommendations for appointment on the basis of a report by the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

The Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 created a new judicial office of summary sheriff.

The Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland is an independent advisory public body with the role of recommending individuals for appointment to judicial offices within the Board’s remit including judge of the Court of Session, sheriff principal, sheriff, and summary sheriff.

The First Minister has statutory responsibility for making recommendations to Her Majesty the Queen and is required by statute to consult the Lord President of the Court of Session before making her recommendation.

The salary of a summary sheriff is £107,100 per annum.

Background information on appointees available on request.