Civil justice statistics in Scotland: 2018-2019

The 2018-2019 civil justice statistics in Scotland release includes main statistics tables, figures and supplementary statistics tables.


Table 19: Damages cases initiated and disposed of1 in the civil courts, by case type, 2009-10 to 2018-19

Cases Procedure 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 % change since 2017-18 % change since 2009-10
Initiated Court of Session2 529 300 367 357 369 286 409 170 146 174 19 -67
Sheriff: ordinary cause 791 630 491 496 447 400 412 658 538 748 39 -5
Sheriff: commercial 54 163 37 34 51 46 15 25 13 17 31 -69
Sheriff: summary cause3 561 453 488 382 441 271 222 292 1 0 -100 -100
Sheriff: small claim3 2,918 2,586 2,364 2,009 1,887 1,348 1,238 1,122 0 0 z -100
Sheriff: simple procedure3 z z z z z z z 543 2,185 2,188 0 z
Total initiated 4,853 4,132 3,747 3,278 3,195 2,351 2,296 2,810 2,883 3,127 8 -36
Disposed Court of Session2 212 315 313 298 359 355 249 212 327 144 -56 -32
Sheriff: ordinary cause 666 595 675 623 435 304 263 390 423 422 0 -37
Sheriff: commercial 26 18 30 8 16 24 140 19 10 11 10 -58
Sheriff: summary cause3 450 457 452 383 340 287 205 267 41 1 -98 -100
Sheriff: small claim3 2,710 2,397 2,149 1,982 1,758 1,380 1,266 1,239 87 3 -97 -100
Sheriff: simple procedure3 z z z z z z z 49 1,843 2,260 23 z
Total disposed 4,064 3,782 3,619 3,294 2,908 2,350 2,123 2,176 2,731 2,841 4 -30

1. Figures for initiations and disposals do not necessarily refer to the same cases.

2. Includes ordinary and commercial cases. Data refers to first instance business only - excludes appeals and reclaiming motions.

3. The first phase of simple procedure replaced the small claims and the more straightforward cases under summary cause procedure from 28 November 2016. 

More complex summary cause cases will move during phase two of simple procedure in due course.

4. z refers to data not being applicable.

Contact

Email: justice_analysts@gov.scot

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