Message from Glasgow Sheriff Court -
A second day of UK wide industrial action has been called for next Wednesday, 15 March 2023. The strike will cover 100,000 members from 124 different departments, including SCTS, COPFS, SPS and SG. In anticipation of significant disruption to court operations as a result of the strike action the sheriff principal has agreed to the following programme to ensure cases do not fall on the day as a result of insufficient staff.
Please note that there will be insufficient court staff available to manage witnesses, no trials will be able to proceed on the day and therefore all witnesses should be countermanded.
Solemn Courts
All ongoing trials to be adjourned from Tuesday to Thursday.
All new and floating trials to be floated to Thursday.
Ballots can and should take place on Tuesday with jurors to attend on Thursday.
No indictments will call in any of the jury courts.
First diets fixed for 15 March will be discharged and a new date assigned in terms of s75C.
Summary Trials
There are no custody or part-heard trials assigned for 15 March.
All sheriff court summary trials (and associated deferred sentences) will call in Court 5.
The clerk will liaise with the Crown and Defence on the morning of the court to agree adjournment dates in the absence of the sheriff.
The Sheriff will then be asked to preside over a call-over and disposal of all cases in which dates have been agreed. It would be our hope that Defence agents need not wait for the call-over if dates have been agreed by the clerk.
Any other cases – such as those involving an unrepresented accused or where a plea of guilty is to be tendered - will call after the call-over.
Remand & Intermediate Diet Courts
The mainstream remand court and mainstream ID court will be combined and call in Court 6 at 10 am.
The domestic remand court and the domestic ID court will be combined and call in Court 6 at 2 pm.
All intermediate diets to be continued to the trial diet unless a plea is to be tendered.
JP Trial Courts
All JP trials (and associated deferred sentences) will call in Court 1B at 10 am to be adjourned to new dates.
All JP signing appointments have been cancelled.
Other criminal
It is anticipated that the following courts will proceed as planned:
• Petitions (Court 3)
• Undertakings (Court 1)
• Summary custodies (Court 4)
• Youth (Court 7)
No serving prisoners due to appear in a summary trial court should be ordered.
Civil
The family court (Court 3) and the heritable court (Court 15) will proceed as planned. No business has been assigned to the referrals court or the simple procedure court. Any multi-day civil proofs to be adjourned from Tuesday to Thursday.
Other
Incoming mail will not be opened. Outgoing mail will not be uplifted.
Public counters will be closed.
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