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 20: Damages cases initiated and disposed of1 in the civil courts, by case type and final disposal, 2018-19

  Disposed
  Absolvitor For Pursuer Dismissed2 Expenses Only2 Other
Court type Case type Initiated Disposed Defended Undefended
Court of Session3 Ordinary 101 90 62 14 4 8 0 2
Commercial 73 54 37 7 3 2 1 4
Court of Session total 174 144 99 21 7 10 1 6
Sheriff courts Small claim4 0 3 1 0 0 2 0 0
Ordinary cause 748 422 215 111 59 33 0 4
Summary cause4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
Commercial 17 11 8 0 2 1 0 0
Simple procedure4 2,188 2,260 772 70 313 1,085 20 0
Sheriff courts total 2,953 2,697 996 181 374 1,122 20 4
Civil courts total 3,127 2,841 1,095 202 381 1,132 21 10

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

2. Data from the new case management system is not currently split between 'defended' and 'undefended', therefore these have been combined into a single category.

3. First instance business only – excludes appeals and reclaiming motions.

4. 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.

Contact

Email: justice_analysts@gov.scot

Back to top