Coronavirus (COVID-19): Justice Analytical Services data report- March 2022
This pack provides information on the impact of COVID-19 on the Justice system during March 2022.
Sheriff Court Civil Case Volumes
Initiations and disposals
Initiations in the Sheriff Civil Courts remain lower than the 2019-20 typical levels, while disposals nearly matched 2019-20 levels for the first time since the pandemic (see dotted lines). Numbers for both initiations and disposals increased in March, for the third month in a row. Both initiations and disposals are at their highest in the last 12 months.
Sheriff Court cases by procedure
Initiated case numbers for ordinary cause and simple procedure are returning to 2019-20 monthly average levels, with month to month variation. Ordinary cause numbers increased in March and are much closer to the 2019-20 average monthly levels. There was no change in summary cause cases in March from the previous month, but are still much lower than 2019-20 average levels. Simple procedure cases decreased in March, for the second month in a row. Small claims have largely been replaced by simple procedure.
Disposed cases for ordinary cause and simple procedure were both higher than the 2019-20 levels. Summary cause disposals decreased for the first time in four months.
Summary cause figures are heavily influenced by the emergency legislation which protected tenants during the pandemic, brought into force in April 2020 as part of Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020. This was a temporary public health protection measure, aimed at ensuring people could stay safe in their homes for as long as possible. The provisions of the Act expired on 30 March 2022.
| Procedures | Nov-21 | Dec-21 | Jan-22 | Feb-22 | Mar-22 | 2019/20 monthly average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initiated | ||||||
| Ordinary cause | 1,908 | 1,580 | 1,455 | 1,803 | 1,892 | 1,928 |
| Summary cause | 361 | 262 | 298 | 361 | 361 | 1,132 |
| Small claim | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Simple procedure | 1,715 | 1,811 | 2,648 | 2,418 | 2,246 | 2,696 |
| Total initiated | 3,984 | 3,653 | 4,401 | 4,584 | 4,499 | 5,758 |
| Disposed | ||||||
| Ordinary cause | 1,412 | 1,280 | 1,208 | 1,391 | 1,669 | 1,445 |
| Summary cause | 561 | 407 | 468 | 589 | 479 | 1,096 |
| Small claim | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Simple procedure | 2,022 | 1,766 | 1,984 | 2,040 | 2,492 | 2,306 |
| Total disposed | 3,997 | 3,455 | 3,660 | 4,023 | 4,642 | 4,852 |
1. Figures exclude summary applications.
2. Figures for initiations and disposals do not necessarily refer to the same cases.
3. Excludes Sheriff Personal Injury Court.
Focus on case types
- The case types presented below show gradual return to 2019-20 levels of initiations, with some month to month variation. Both Family and Children's Referrals were higher than the 2019-20 average levels in March.
- Family, Children's Referrals and Debts disposals were all higher than 2019-20 average monthly levels. Personal Injury was lower.
| Initiated Cases (Mar 2022) | Disposed Cases (Mar 2022) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Type | Mar 2022 | Change from 19-20 | Mar 2022 | Change from 19-20 |
| Family |
1,040 | 103% of 19-20 average month (1,014 cases) | 1,060 | 119% of 19-20 average month (892 cases) |
| Children's Referrals | 739 | 123% of 19-20 average month (602 cases) | 294 | 113% of 19-20 average month (260 cases) |
| Debt | 2,595 | 90% of 19-20 average month (2,883 cases) | 2,728 | 115% of 19-20 average month (2,368 cases) |
| Personal Injury | 331 | 82% of 19-20 average month (402 cases) | 177 | 58% of 19-20 average month (306 cases) |
Further Information:
Latest published Civil Justice Statistics
Contact
Email: Justice_Analysts@gov.scot
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