Court of Session

Court of Session
Cùirt an t-Seisein
Court of Session
Parliament House, Edinburgh, home of the Court of Session
Map
Established1532
JurisdictionScotland
LocationParliament House, Edinburgh, Scotland
Composition methodAppointment by the Monarch on the recommendation of the First Minister of Scotland
Authorized byCollege of Justice Act 1532
Appeals toSupreme Court of the United Kingdom
Number of positions34 Senators of the College of Justice
Lord President
CurrentlyLord Carloway
Since2015

The Court of Session (Scottish Gaelic: Cùirt an t-Seisein) is the supreme civil court of Scotland. It is based in Parliament House, Edinburgh, and serves as both a court of first instance and a court of appeal. Together with the High Court of Justiciary (Scotland’s supreme criminal court), it forms part of the College of Justice established in 1532.[1]

History

The Court of Session was established by the College of Justice Act 1532 during the reign of King James V of Scotland. It was modeled on European courts of the time, with influence from France and other civil law systems. Initially, the court included clerical members, but over time, it evolved into a professional judiciary dominated by legal experts.[2]

Parliament House in Edinburgh has been the court's home since 1639, making it one of the oldest courts in continuous operation in the world.

References

  1. ↑ http://legislation.gov.uk/asp/2014/18
  2. ↑ "Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service", Wikipedia, 2024-11-09, retrieved 2024-11-19

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