Edinburgh Court photos, History, Scotland legal property, Architects, Scottish Justiciary Architecture Images

Edinburgh Court Buildings : Architecture

Courthouses in Edinburgh Old Town, High Court of Justiciary Scotland

post updated 6 November 2023

High Court of Justiciary – Edinburgh Court: Royal Mile building, Old Town
High Court of Justiciary Edinburgh Edinburgh Court Building Edinburgh Court High Court of Justiciary Edinburgh
Royal Mile building photos © Adrian Welch

Edinburgh Courts

About the High Court

High Court of Justiciary entrance, Edinburgh
The High Court of Justiciary is Scotland’s supreme criminal court. When sitting at first instance as a trial court, it hears the most serious criminal cases, such as murder and rape. A single judge hears cases with a jury of 15 people.

At first instance, it sits in cities and larger towns around Scotland and has a permanent base in Edinburgh (Lawnmarket), Glasgow (Saltmarket) and Aberdeen (Mercatgate). There are periodic sittings in Dumbarton, Lanark, Livingston, Paisley and Stirling. As an appeal court, it sits only in Edinburgh.

Judiciary

The High Court is presided over by the Lord Justice General and the Lord Justice Clerk. They usually sit as chairpersons in the courts of criminal appeal. The other full time judges, who are also Senators of the College of Justice, are known as Lords Commissioners of Justiciary when sitting in the High Court.

Appeal Court

When sitting as an appeal court, the court consists of at least three judges when hearing appeals against conviction and two when hearing sentence appeals. More judges may sit when the court is dealing with exceptionally difficult cases or those where important matters of law may be considered. Appeals are heard from the High Court. The High Court also hears appeals in cases referred to it by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The Lord Advocate may refer a point of law which arises in the course of a case to the High Court for an opinion. This allows the High Court to give directions which set out the law for future similar cases.

source: https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/supreme-courts/high-court/about-the-high-court

Edinburgh Court Buildings in Old Town

Edinburgh Court: Cowgate buildings, Old Town:
Edinburgh Court Cowgate Edinburgh Court Cowgate
Old Town building photos © Adrian Welch

Edinburgh Court building on Chamber Street
Edinburgh Court Chamber Street
Chamber Street legal property picture © Adrian Welch

Scottish Supreme Court News Update
£130m Law Courts redevelopment – Parliament House off Royal Mile
Edinburgh Court building
Old Town Law Courts picture © Adrian Welch
Parliament House – Edinburgh Court building

High Court of Justiciary – Edinburgh Court: Royal Mile building
Edinburgh Court Edinburgh Court Edinburgh Court
High Court of Justiciary building picture © Adrian Welch

Context to Edinburgh Court buildings: Advocates’ Library Edinburgh
Advocates' Library Edinburgh
Advocates’ Library picture © Adrian Welch

View of Cowgate buildings from George IV Bridge:
Cowgate buildings
Cowgate buildings picture © Adrian Welch

Edinburgh Architecture

Contemporary Scottish Capital Property Designs – recent architectural selection below:

Scottish Parliament Building
Scottish Parliament building
Scottish Parliament Building picture © Keith Hunter

Edinburgh Walking Tours – city architectural walks by e-architect guides – booking required.

Quartermile – major property development of former hospital site:
Quartermile property
Quartermile property development picture © Adrian Welch

Calton Gate – controversial city centre development
Caltongate Buildings city centre development
Calton Gate property image : ANTA architecture

Missoni Hotel Edinburgh

New Town Harvey Nichols

Buildings / photos for the Edinburgh Court Architecture – Justiciary Buildings in the Old Town, Lothian, southeast Scotland, United Kingdom, page welcome.