Judicial Training

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Since its establishment in 1997, judicial training in Scotland has been in the hands of the Judicial Studies Committee (“JSC”). The JSC was set up in order to “promote training for the judiciary both in the Supreme Court and in the Sheriff Court.”

On 1 April 2010, with the implementation of the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008, the Lord President (The Rt Hon Lord Hamilton) became Head of the Scottish Judiciary. The Lord President assumed responsibilities for the JSC as well as a new statutory responsibility for “making and maintaining appropriate arrangements for the welfare, training and guidance of judicial office holders.”

This provision mandates the making and maintaining of arrangements which are sufficient for the needs of an independent judiciary of a democratic society, committed to the Rule of Law in the second decade of the twenty-first century.

The work of the JSC has grown considerably over the years; a period which reflects implementation of devolution, advent of European Convention on Human Rights in Scotland, increasing number of statutes and a number of complex legal judgments. The JSC is primarily responsible for running courses for all branches of the judiciary and issuing written materials for judges.

In 2007, the JSC took on responsibility for the delivery of the training requirements for Justices of the Peace as approved by the Lord President and set out in the Justice of the Peace (Scotland) Order 2007.   

At present, the JSC offers some 32 training courses per year with 818 delegate places. It prepares and publishes a variety of papers on new legislation and complex areas of law, as well as producing a vast amount of training materials to support the training events.

The JSC also provides a contact point with government and other interested parties. It represents Scotland in matters relating to judicial training and education within the British Isles, in Europe and internationally.

Members and staff of the Judicial Studies Committee

JSC Publications -  Annual Reports and Equal Treatment Bench Book

Links to information on other national and international judicial training bodies  

Contact the Judicial Studies Committee:

Judicial Studies Office
Third Floor
Bearford House
39 Hanover Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2PJ

Telephone: +44 (0)131 220 9320
Fax: +44 (0)131 220 9321
Email: judicialstudies@scotcourts.gov.uk