Coronavirus (COVID-19): Justice Analytical Services data report- October 2021
This pack provides information on the impact of COVID-19 on the Justice system during October 2021.
Data has been gathered from a number of different sources and may be subject to future revision.
Sheriff Court Civil Case Volumes
Initiations and disposals
Initiations in the Sheriff Civil Courts remain lower than the 2019-20 typical levels, while disposals have almost returned to 2019-20 levels (see dotted lines). In October there was an increase in both initiations and disposals from the previous month.
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 are comparable to the previous month. There was an increase in simple procedure cases from September. Summary cause is much lower than 2019-20 levels, and the number of cases is similar to the previous month. Small claims have largely been replaced by simple procedure.
Likewise, disposed cases for ordinary cause and simple procedure are returning to 2019-20 levels. Simple procedure disposals in October were much lower than the 2019-20 average levels while ordinary cause nearly matched 2019-20 levels. Summary cause disposals are returning to 2019-20 monthly average levels, but have been lower than the high in June, for the previous 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. The provisions of the Act expired on 30 March 2021.
| Procedures | Jun-21 | Jul-21 | Aug-21 | Sep-21 | Oct-21 | 2019/20 monthly average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initiated | ||||||
| Ordinary cause | 1,796 | 1,753 | 1,856 | 1,804 | 1,783 | 1,928 |
| Summary cause | 266 | 303 | 287 | 349 | 345 | 1,132 |
| Small claim | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Simple procedure | 1,680 | 1,267 | 1,824 | 1,854 | 2,130 | 2,695 |
| Total initiated | 3,742 | 3,323 | 3,967 | 4,007 | 4,258 | 5,758 |
| Disposed | ||||||
| Ordinary cause | 1,638 | 1,400 | 1,501 | 1,383 | 1,420 | 1,445 |
| Summary cause | 848 | 556 | 658 | 578 | 647 | 1,096 |
| Small claim | 26 | 8 | 18 | 8 | 1 | 5 |
| Simple procedure | 1,928 | 1,772 | 1,892 | 1,526 | 1,682 | 2,306 |
| Total disposed | 4,440 | 3,736 | 4,069 | 3,495 | 3,750 | 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 initiation, with some month to month variation. Family cases in October were higher than the 2019-20 average levels, while the other case types shown are lower.
- Family disposals in October were higher than the 2019-20 average levels. All the other case types presented below are lower.
| Case Type | Initiated Cases (Oct 2021) | Disposed Cases (Oct 2021) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2021 | Change from 19-20 | Oct 2021 | Change from 19-20 | |
| Family | 1,026 | 101% of 19-20 average month (1,014 cases) | 925 | 104% of 19-20 average month (892 cases) |
| Children's Referrals | 458 | 76% of 19-20 average month (602 cases) | 157 | 60% of 19-20 average month (260 cases) |
| Debt | 2,410 | 84% of 19-20 average month (2,883 cases) | 1,879 | 79% of 19-20 average month (2,368 cases) |
| Personal Injury | 350 | 87% of 19-20 average month (402 cases) | 199 | 65% of 19-20 average month (306 cases) |
Further Information:
Latest published Civil Justice Statistics
Contact
Email: JusticeAnalysts@gov.scot
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