College of Justice

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Scots law This article is part of the series: Courts of Scotland

Scottish Court Service College of Justice

Civil courts Privy Council House of Lords Court of Session Lord President Sheriff Court Sheriff

Criminal courts High Court of Justiciary Lord Justice-General Sheriff Court Sheriff Principal Sheriff District Court Justice of the Peace

Special courts Court of the Lord Lyon Lord Lyon King of Arms Children's Hearings

Criminal justice Lord Advocate Crown Office Advocate Depute Procurator Fiscal

Advocates and solicitors Faculty of Advocates Advocate Law Society of Scotland Solicitor-Advocate Solicitor

The College of Justice is a term used to describe the supreme courts of Scotland and its associated bodies. The constituent bodies are the Court of Session, High Court of Justiciary, Faculty of Advocates, Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet and the Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland.

The College is headed by the Lord President.

[edit] History

The College was founded in 1532 by King James V of Scotland following a bull of Pope Paul III.

The College at its foundation dealt with underdeveloped civil and criminal law. There was little legal literature. Acts of the Parliament of Scotland and the books of the Old Law as well as Civil and Canon law texts were about all to which the pursuer and defender could refer. It was only after the establishment of the court that this situation improved, with judges noting their decisions in books of practicks.

The Treaty of Union 1707 with England preserved the Scottish Legal System. Article XIX provided "that the Court of Session or College of Justice do after the Union and notwithstanding thereof remain in all time coming within Scotland, and that the Court of Justiciary do also after the Union ... remain in all time coming."