Justice of the Peace Courts

A Justice of the Peace Court is a lay court where a Justice of the Peace who is not legally qualified sits with a legally qualified Clerk. The Clerk provides advice to the Justices on matters of law and procedure. The maximum sentence that a JP may impose is:

  • 60 days imprisonment or a fine not exceeding £2,500
    • In Glasgow only, some courts are presided over by a legally qualified Stipendiary Magistrate. The maximum sentence that a Stipendiary Magistrate may impose is:
  • 12 months imprisonment or a fine not exceeding £10,000

Justice of the Peace Courts were created by the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 and they replaced former District Courts which were operated by local authorities. This change resulted from Summary Justice Reform proposals in 2005 which sought to unify the administration of Sheriff and District Courts. The changes were introduced on a Sheriffdom by Sheriffdom basis from 2008-2010.