Country code |
GB |
Repository code |
234 |
Repository |
National Records of Scotland |
Reference |
JC13 |
Title |
Minute Books of the West Circuit Court of Justiciary |
Dates |
1708-1988 |
Access status |
Restricted |
Access conditions |
Information within this item is exempt under Section 38 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002: Personal Information. As such it will not be available for public consultation for 100 years. To request access to it whilst the exemption is current, please contact the NRS Freedom of Information Officer. For further details please look in the Freedom of Information (FOI) section of our website or ask a member of staff. |
Location |
Off site |
Description |
This collection covers all court business from as it happened within the circuit court (that is, the court held by judges of the High Court when they sit outside of Edinburgh). The records were written by the court clerks who were present in court on that day and are signed and verified for accuracy after the fact.
Pre 20th century, circuit courts travelled to other locations out with Edinburgh biannually, in spring and Autumn. A conclusion to the trial could be reached on the day of the circuit court or sent on to Edinburgh for a future sitting. The Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act of 1887 empowered the Lord Advocate to requisition special sittings of the High Court at any time, either where circuits were usually held or in any other town most convenient for the trial of the crime committed. Consequently, this meant that trials held in circuit courts were now fixed in location and sat more frequently.
In contrast to the Books of Adjournal, the minutes are identified as a primary source.
The Western Circuit covers sittings held at Stirling, Glasgow and Ayr in 1672, but this was dropped and replaced by Inveraray from 1748.
Refer to the 'JC' description (Fonds level) for more detail about Circuits. |
Level |
Series |
Extent |
184 volumes |
Archival history |
Description reviewed and refreshed 9/9/2020 |
|
|
|