Courts of ScotlandThe courts of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Cùirtean na h-Alba) are responsible for administration of justice in Scotland, under statutory, common law and equitable provisions within Scots law. The courts are presided over by the judiciary of Scotland, who are the various judicial office holders responsible for issuing judgments, ensuring fair trials, and deciding on sentencing.
High Court of JusticiaryThe High Court of Justiciary (Scottish Gaelic: Àrd-chùirt a' Cheartais) is the supreme criminal court in Scotland. The High Court is both a trial court and a court of appeal. As a trial court, the High Court sits on circuit at Parliament House or in the adjacent Justiciary Building (the former Sheriff Court building) in the Old Town in Edinburgh, or in dedicated buildings in Glasgow and Aberdeen.
SheriffdomA sheriffdom is a judicial district in Scotland, led by a sheriff principal. Since 1 January 1975, there have been six sheriffdoms. Each sheriffdom is divided into a series of sheriff court districts, and each sheriff court is presided over by a resident or floating sheriff (a legally qualified judge). Sheriffs principal and resident or floating sheriffs are all members of the judiciary of Scotland.
Civil law (common law)Civil law is a major "branch of the law", in common law legal systems including those in England and Wales and in the United States, where it stands in contrast to criminal law. Private law, which relates to civil wrongs and quasi-contracts, is part of civil law, as is contract law and law of property (excluding property-related crimes, such as theft or vandalism). AnalysisCivil law may, like criminal law, be divided into substantive law and procedural law.
Concurrent jurisdictionConcurrent jurisdiction exists where two or more courts from different systems simultaneously have jurisdiction over a specific case. United StatesIn the United States, state courts are presumed to have concurrent jurisdiction in federal matters, unless explicitly stated otherwise in the U.S. Constitution or in the particular federal statutory provision in issue.
Exclusive jurisdictionExclusive jurisdiction exists in civil procedure if one court has the power to adjudicate a case to the exclusion of all other courts. The opposite situation is concurrent jurisdiction (or non-exclusive jurisdiction) in which more than one court may take jurisdiction over the case. Exclusive jurisdiction is typically defined in terms of subject matter.Criminal lawCriminal law is the body of law that relates to crime. It proscribes conduct perceived as threatening, harmful, or otherwise endangering to the property, health, safety, and welfare of people, including oneself. Most criminal law is established by statute, which is to say that the laws are enacted by a legislature. Criminal law includes the punishment and rehabilitation of persons who violate such laws.
ScotlandScotland (Scots: Scotland; Scottish Gaelic: Alba) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and adjacent islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. In 2022, the country's population was about 5.4 million. Its capital city is Edinburgh, whilst Glasgow is the largest and the most populous of the cities in the country.
Pound sterlingCurrency of the United KingdomISO 4217CodeGBP (numeric: 826)Subunit0.01Units of accountBase unitpoundPluralpoundsSymbol£NicknamequidSuperunit £5fiver (colloquial) £10tenner (colloquial)Subunit 1⁄100pennyPlural pennypenceSymbol pennypDenominationsBanknotes Freq. used£5£10£20£50 Rarely used£1£100Coins1p2p5p10p20p50p£1£2DemographicsDate of introductionc.
MurderUnlawful killing of a human with maliceCain slaying Abel, by Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1600Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse and committed with the necessary intent as defined by the law in a specific jurisdiction. This state of mind may, depending upon the jurisdiction, distinguish murder from other forms of unlawful homicide, such as manslaughter.
RapeType of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse without consentThey do not want to (plate 9 of The Disasters of War) by Francisco Goya, 1863Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without their consent.
TreasonTreason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country; attempting to overthrow its government; spying on its military, its diplomats, its officials, or its secret services for a hostile foreign power; or attempting to kill its head of state. A person who commits treason is known in law as a traitor.
Child sexual abuseForm of child abuseChild sexual abuse (CSA) is a form of child abuse defined as any act that involves a child in, or exposes a child to, any type of sexual activity that they are not developmentally prepared for, do not fully comprehend, do not have the capacity to consent to, or which otherwise contravenes laws and societal taboos.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.