Civil justice statistics in Scotland: 2016-2017

The 2016-17 Civil Justice in Scotland release includes main statistics tables and figures and supplementary statistics tables.


Table 11: Debt cases initiated and disposed of[1] in the civil courts, by case type, 2008-09 to 2016-17

Cases Procedure 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 % change since 2015-16 % change since 2008-09
Initiated Court of Session 23 1 4 8 6 5 70 8 6 -25 -74
Sheriff: ordinary cause 14,669 12,054 9,200 6,944 5,487 4,586 4,407 5,342 4,483 -16 -69
Sheriff: commercial 400 318 223 266 222 241 378 335 259 -23 -35
Sheriff: summary cause[2] 7,157 5,307 4,415 3,922 3,381 3,114 3,258 3,896 2,336 -40 -67
Sheriff: small claim 43,549 38,251 31,533 29,110 26,803 27,444 25,642 25,338 17,522 -31 -60
Sheriff: simple procedure[3] z z z z z z z z 5,961 z z
Total initiated 65,798 55,931 45,375 40,250 35,899 35,390 33,755 34,919 30,567 -12 -54
Disposed Court of Session 28 16 2 2 2 6 4 8 13 63 -54
Sheriff: ordinary cause 12,553 10,150 7,729 5,885 4,534 3,566 3,520 3,902 3,560 -9 -72
Sheriff: commercial 252 231 166 175 117 143 303 222 183 -18 -27
Sheriff: summary cause[2] 7,097 5,772 4,337 3,884 3,324 2,906 3,199 3,490 3,024 -13 -57
Sheriff: small claim 38,594 40,347 31,026 28,934 26,023 25,876 26,319 24,953 22,149 -11 -43
Sheriff: simple procedure[3] z z z z z z z z 962 z z
Total disposed 58,524 56,516 43,260 38,880 34,000 32,497 33,345 32,575 29,891 -8 -49

1. Figures for initiations and disposals do not necessarily refer to the same cases.
2. First phase of simple procedure replaces the more straightforward cases of summary cause from 28 November 2016
3. The first phase of simple procedure replaces the small claims and the more straightforward cases under summary procedure. It commenced on 28 November 2016 and therefore does not cover a full year.

Contact

Back to top