Parliament House, Edinburgh

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Parliament House in Edinburgh, Scotland, was home to the pre-1707 Parliament of Scotland, and now houses the Supreme Courts of Scotland. It is located in the Old Town, just off the Royal Mile, beside St Giles Cathedral.

Contents 1 Parliament Hall 2 Courts 3 Libraries 4 See also

[edit] Parliament Hall

The oldest part of Parliament House is Parliament Hall, which King Charles I had built as a permanent home for the parliament. It was completed in 1639. It has a dramatic hammerbeam roof made of Scandinavian oak, which may have been designed to evoke Parliament Hall at Stirling Castle, a previous home to the Scottish court. The roof of the new Scottish Parliament building continues this tradition, and is supported by large laminated oak beams.

After the Act of Union 1707 the Parliament of Scotland was adjourned, and the building ceased to be used for its original function.

[edit] Courts

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

Administration Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Justice Judicial Appointments Board Scottish Court Service College of Justice Office of the Public Guardian Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission Scottish Prison Service

Civil courts Privy Council House of Lords Court of Session Lord President Lord Justice Clerk Lords of Session Office of the Accountant of Court Sheriff Court Sheriff

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

Special courts Court of the Lord Lyon Lord Lyon King of Arms Scottish Children's Reporter Administration Children's Hearings Scottish Land Court Lands Tribunal for Scotland

Criminal justice Lord Advocate Crown Office Advocate Depute Procurator Fiscal

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

Even while the old Parliament was still in existence, parts of the buildings were used for legal cases, and afterwards this became the main function of the building. The two highest Scottish courts, the High Court of Justiciary for criminal cases and the Court of Session for civil cases, sit in the building, though the High Court of Justiciary may sit elsewhere.

[edit] Libraries

The Advocates' Library was founded in 1682, and is currently located in a William Henry Playfair designed building at the south of the buildings. It remains a heavily used legal resource. As well collecting legal works it was also a deposit library, and in 1925 the non-legal books in their collection were gifted to the new National Library of Scotland, which is located adjacent to the library, on George IV Bridge.

Alongside Parliament House is The Signet Library. It is a private library, funded by members of The Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet, who are generally practising solicitors. The current building is located on the north side of the buildings. Construction began in 1810 to a design by Robert Reid, and it presents a classical front to Parliament Square. This facade wraps around Parliament House as well, and replaced the existing Scottish baronial facade.

[edit] See also

• Scots law
• Courts of Scotland

Coordinates: 55°56′57″N, 03°11′26″W

v • d • e Court of Session Chief justice Lord President of the Court of Session Other judges Lord Justice Clerk · Senators of the College of Justice · Lord Ordinary Divisions Inner House · Outer House Administration Scottish Court Service · Office of the Accountant of Court · Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary Other Officers Messengers-at-Arms · Advocates  · Solicitor-advocates  · Writers to the Signet  · Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland Buildings Parliament House, Edinburgh

v • d • e High Court of Justiciary Chief justice Lord Justice General Other judges Lord Justice Clerk · Lords Commissioner of Justiciary Buildings Parliament House, Edinburgh

Preceded by TBD

Home of the Parliament of Scotland 1639-1707

Succeeded by Scottish Parliament