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<span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>History</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-History-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle History subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-History-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Influential_sources" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Influential_sources"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>Influential sources</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Influential_sources-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Sources" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Sources"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Sources</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Sources-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Sources subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Sources-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Legislation" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Legislation"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>Legislation</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Legislation-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Common_law" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Common_law"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.2</span> <span>Common law</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Common_law-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Institutional_writers" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Institutional_writers"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.3</span> <span>Institutional writers</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Institutional_writers-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Custom" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Custom"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.4</span> <span>Custom</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Custom-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Legal_institutions" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Legal_institutions"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Legal institutions</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Legal_institutions-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Legal institutions subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Legal_institutions-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Government_of_Scotland" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Government_of_Scotland"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.1</span> <span>Government of Scotland</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Government_of_Scotland-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Legislature" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Legislature"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.2</span> <span>Legislature</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Legislature-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Courts_of_Scotland" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Courts_of_Scotland"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3</span> <span>Courts of Scotland</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Courts_of_Scotland-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Scottish_Courts_and_Tribunals_Service" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Scottish_Courts_and_Tribunals_Service"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3.1</span> <span>Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Scottish_Courts_and_Tribunals_Service-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Criminal_courts" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Criminal_courts"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3.2</span> <span>Criminal courts</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Criminal_courts-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Justice_of_the_peace_courts" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Justice_of_the_peace_courts"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3.2.1</span> <span>Justice of the peace courts</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Justice_of_the_peace_courts-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Sheriff_courts" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Sheriff_courts"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3.2.2</span> <span>Sheriff courts</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Sheriff_courts-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-High_Court_of_Justiciary" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#High_Court_of_Justiciary"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3.2.3</span> <span>High Court of Justiciary</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-High_Court_of_Justiciary-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Civil_courts" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Civil_courts"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3.3</span> <span>Civil courts</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Civil_courts-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Sheriff_courts_2" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Sheriff_courts_2"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3.3.1</span> <span>Sheriff courts</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Sheriff_courts_2-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Court_of_Session" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-4"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Court_of_Session"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3.3.2</span> <span>Court of Session</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Court_of_Session-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Specialist_courts" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Specialist_courts"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.3.4</span> <span>Specialist courts</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Specialist_courts-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Judiciary_of_Scotland" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Judiciary_of_Scotland"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.4</span> <span>Judiciary of Scotland</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Judiciary_of_Scotland-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Legal_profession" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Legal_profession"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.5</span> <span>Legal profession</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Legal_profession-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Notes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>Further reading</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled 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Available in 20 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-20" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">20 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skotsk%C3%A9_pr%C3%A1vo" title="Skotské právo – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Skotské právo" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cy mw-list-item"><a href="https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyfraith_yr_Alban" title="Cyfraith yr Alban – Welsh" lang="cy" hreflang="cy" data-title="Cyfraith yr Alban" data-language-autonym="Cymraeg" data-language-local-name="Welsh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Cymraeg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schottisches_Recht" title="Schottisches Recht – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Schottisches Recht" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derecho_escoc%C3%A9s" title="Derecho escocés – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Derecho escocés" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskoziar_zuzenbide" title="Eskoziar zuzenbide – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Eskoziar zuzenbide" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droit_%C3%A9cossais" title="Droit écossais – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Droit écossais" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ga mw-list-item"><a href="https://ga.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dl%C3%AD_na_hAlban" title="Dlí na hAlban – Irish" lang="ga" hreflang="ga" data-title="Dlí na hAlban" data-language-autonym="Gaeilge" data-language-local-name="Irish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Gaeilge</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-gd mw-list-item"><a href="https://gd.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagh_na_h-Alba" title="Lagh na h-Alba – Scottish Gaelic" lang="gd" hreflang="gd" data-title="Lagh na h-Alba" data-language-autonym="Gàidhlig" data-language-local-name="Scottish Gaelic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Gàidhlig</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hukum_Skotlandia" title="Hukum Skotlandia – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Hukum Skotlandia" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diritto_di_Scozia" title="Diritto di Scozia – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Diritto di Scozia" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B9%E3%82%B3%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89%E6%B3%95" title="スコットランド法 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="スコットランド法" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BE_%D0%A8%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B8" title="Право Шотландии – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Право Шотландии" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sco mw-list-item"><a href="https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scots_law" title="Scots law – Scots" lang="sco" hreflang="sco" data-title="Scots law" data-language-autonym="Scots" data-language-local-name="Scots" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Scots</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scots_law" title="Scots law – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Scots law" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ckb mw-list-item"><a href="https://ckb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A7%DB%8C_%D8%B3%DA%A9%DB%86%D8%AA%D9%84%DB%95%D9%86%D8%AF" title="یاسای سکۆتلەند – Central Kurdish" lang="ckb" hreflang="ckb" data-title="یاسای سکۆتلەند" data-language-autonym="کوردی" data-language-local-name="Central Kurdish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>کوردی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skotlannin_laki" title="Skotlannin laki – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Skotlannin laki" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skotsk_r%C3%A4tt" title="Skotsk rätt – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Skotsk rätt" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%B0sko%C3%A7_hukuku" title="İskoç hukuku – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="İskoç hukuku" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lu%E1%BA%ADt_Scotland" title="Luật Scotland – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Luật Scotland" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%98%87%E6%A0%BC%E8%98%AD%E6%B3%95%E5%BE%8B%E5%88%B6%E5%BA%A6" title="蘇格蘭法律制度 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="蘇格蘭法律制度" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q1972557#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div 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article is part of <a href="/wiki/Category:Politics_of_Scotland" title="Category:Politics of Scotland">a series</a> within the<br /><a href="/wiki/Category:Politics_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Category:Politics of the United Kingdom">Politics of the United Kingdom</a> on the</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle"><a href="/wiki/Politics_of_Scotland" title="Politics of Scotland">Politics of Scotland</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/Scotland" title="Scotland"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/125px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png" decoding="async" width="125" height="75" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/188px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/250px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Monarchy_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Monarchy of the United Kingdom">The Crown</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Monarchy_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Monarchy of the United Kingdom">The Monarch</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/Charles_III" title="Charles III">Charles III</a> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Succession_to_the_British_throne" title="Succession to the British throne">Heir apparent</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/William,_Prince_of_Wales" title="William, Prince of Wales">William</a>, <a href="/wiki/Duke_of_Rothesay" title="Duke of Rothesay">Duke of Rothesay</a> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Royal_prerogative_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Royal prerogative in the United Kingdom">Prerogative</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_royal_family" title="British royal family">Royal family</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Succession_to_the_British_throne" title="Succession to the British throne">Succession</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Privy_Council_of_the_United_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="Privy Council of the United Kingdom">Privy Council</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Union_of_the_Crowns" title="Union of the Crowns">Union of the Crowns</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Balmoral_Castle" title="Balmoral Castle">Balmoral Castle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holyrood_Palace" title="Holyrood Palace">Holyrood Palace</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_republicanism" title="Scottish republicanism">Scottish republicanism</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Government" title="Scottish Government">Executive</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Government" title="Scottish Government">Scottish Government</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/Swinney_government" title="Swinney government">Swinney government</a> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/First_Minister_of_Scotland" title="First Minister of Scotland">First Minister</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><small><a href="/wiki/The_Rt_Hon" class="mw-redirect" title="The Rt Hon">The Rt Hon</a></small> <a href="/wiki/John_Swinney" title="John Swinney">John Swinney</a> <span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="/wiki/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" title="Member of the Scottish Parliament">MSP</a></span> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Keeper_of_the_Great_Seal_of_Scotland" title="Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland">Keeper of the Great Seal</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><small><a href="/wiki/The_Rt_Hon" class="mw-redirect" title="The Rt Hon">The Rt Hon</a></small> <a href="/wiki/John_Swinney" title="John Swinney">John Swinney</a> <span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="/wiki/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" title="Member of the Scottish Parliament">MSP</a></span> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Deputy_First_Minister_of_Scotland" title="Deputy First Minister of Scotland">Deputy First Minister</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/Kate_Forbes" title="Kate Forbes">Kate Forbes</a> <small><a href="/wiki/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" title="Member of the Scottish Parliament">MSP</a></small> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Government#Cabinet" title="Scottish Government">Cabinet Secretaries</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Government#Junior_Scottish_Ministers" title="Scottish Government">Junior Ministers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_budget" title="Scottish budget">Scottish budget</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Taxation_in_Scotland" title="Taxation in Scotland">Taxation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Directorates_of_the_Scottish_Government" title="Directorates of the Scottish Government">Directorates</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Executive_agencies_of_the_Scottish_Government" title="Executive agencies of the Scottish Government">Executive agencies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public_bodies_of_the_Scottish_Government" title="Public bodies of the Scottish Government">Public bodies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/State-owned_enterprises_of_the_United_Kingdom#Scottish_Government" title="State-owned enterprises of the United Kingdom">State-owned enterprises</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bute_House" title="Bute House">Bute House</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/St_Andrew%27s_House" title="St Andrew's House">St Andrew's House</a></li></ul> <hr /> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/International_relations_of_Scotland" title="International relations of Scotland">International relations</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Legislature</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a></b></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/6th_Scottish_Parliament" title="6th Scottish Parliament">Sixth session</a> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Presiding_Officer_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" title="Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament">Presiding Officer</a> </b></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/Alison_Johnstone" title="Alison Johnstone">Alison Johnstone</a> <small><a href="/wiki/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" title="Member of the Scottish Parliament">MSP</a></small> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Act_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" title="Act of the Scottish Parliament">Primary legislation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_statutory_instrument" title="Scottish statutory instrument">Statutory instrument</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Committees_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" title="Committees of the Scottish Parliament">Committees</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First_Minister%27s_Questions_(Scottish_Parliament)" title="First Minister's Questions (Scottish Parliament)">First Minister's Questions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Standards_Commission_for_Scotland" title="Standards Commission for Scotland">Standards Commission for Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_Act_1998" title="Scotland Act 1998">Scotland Act 1998</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_Act_2012" title="Scotland Act 2012">2012 Act</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_Act_2016" title="Scotland Act 2016">2016 Act</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Adjacent_Waters_Boundaries_Order_1999" title="Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999">Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/UK_Withdrawal_from_the_European_Union_(Continuity)_(Scotland)_Act_2020" class="mw-redirect" title="UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2020">EU Continuity Act 2020</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Law and justice</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Cabinet_Secretary_for_Justice_and_Home_Affairs" title="Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs">Cabinet Secretary for Justice</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/Angela_Constance" title="Angela Constance">Angela Constance</a> <small><a href="/wiki/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" title="Member of the Scottish Parliament">MSP</a></small> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Lord_Advocate" title="Lord Advocate">Lord Advocate</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/Dorothy_Bain" title="Dorothy Bain">Dorothy Bain</a> <small><a href="/wiki/King%27s_Counsel" title="King's Counsel">KC</a></small> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Lord_President_of_the_Court_of_Session" title="Lord President of the Court of Session">Lord President</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><small><a href="/wiki/The_Rt_Hon" class="mw-redirect" title="The Rt Hon">The Rt Hon</a></small> <a href="/wiki/Colin_Sutherland,_Lord_Carloway" title="Colin Sutherland, Lord Carloway">Lord Carloway</a> <small><a href="/wiki/King%27s_Counsel" title="King's Counsel">KC</a> <a href="/wiki/Privy_Council_of_the_United_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="Privy Council of the United Kingdom">PC</a></small> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Scots law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Udal_law" title="Udal law">Udal law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Courts_of_Scotland" title="Courts of Scotland">Courts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judiciary_of_Scotland" title="Judiciary of Scotland">Judiciary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Courts_and_Tribunals_Service" title="Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service">Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crown_Office_and_Procurator_Fiscal_Service" title="Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service">Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Police_Scotland" title="Police Scotland">Police Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Prison_Service" title="Scottish Prison Service">Scottish Prison Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Advocate_General_for_Scotland" title="Advocate General for Scotland">Advocate General</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Solicitor_General_for_Scotland" title="Solicitor General for Scotland">Solicitor General</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Scotland" title="Elections in Scotland">Elections and referendums</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><b><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Scotland#Scottish_Parliament" title="Elections in Scotland">Scottish Parliament elections</a></b><br /> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1999_Scottish_Parliament_election" title="1999 Scottish Parliament election">1999</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2003_Scottish_Parliament_election" title="2003 Scottish Parliament election">2003</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2007_Scottish_Parliament_election" title="2007 Scottish Parliament election">2007</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2011_Scottish_Parliament_election" title="2011 Scottish Parliament election">2011</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2016_Scottish_Parliament_election" title="2016 Scottish Parliament election">2016</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2021_Scottish_Parliament_election" title="2021 Scottish Parliament election">2021</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Next_Scottish_Parliament_election" title="Next Scottish Parliament election"><i>Next</i></a></li></ul> <hr /> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Scotland#UK_Parliament" title="Elections in Scotland">United Kingdom Parliament elections</a></b><br /> </p> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=First_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom_(Scotland)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="First Parliament of the United Kingdom (Scotland) (page does not exist)">1801 co-option</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1802_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1802 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1802</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1806_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1806 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1806</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1807_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1807 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1807</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1812_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1812 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1812</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1818_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1818 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1818</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1820_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1820 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1820</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1826_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1826 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1826</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1830_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1830 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1830</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1831_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1831 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1831</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1832_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1832 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1832</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1835_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1835 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1835</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1837_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1837 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1837</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1841_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1841 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1841</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1847_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1847 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1847</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1852_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1852 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1852</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1857_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1857 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1857</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1859_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1859 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1859</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1865_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1865 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1865</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1868_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1868 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1868</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1874_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1874 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1874</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1880_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1880 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1880</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1885_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1885 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1885</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1886_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1886 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1886</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1892_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1892 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1892</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1895_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1895 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1895</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1900_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1900 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1900</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1906_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1906 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1906</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=January_1910_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="January 1910 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1910 (Jan)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=December_1910_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="December 1910 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1910 (Dec)</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1918_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1918 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1918</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1922_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1922 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1922</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1923_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1923 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1923</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1924_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1924 United Kingdom general election in Scotland (page does not exist)">1924</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1929_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1929 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1929</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1931_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1931 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1931</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1935_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1935 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1935</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1945_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1945 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1945</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1950_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1950 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1950</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1951_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1951 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1951</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1955_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1955 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1955</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1959_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1959 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1959</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1964_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1964 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1964</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1966_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1966 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1966</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1970_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1970 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1970</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/February_1974_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="February 1974 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1974 (Feb)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/October_1974_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="October 1974 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1974 (Oct)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1979_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1979 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1979</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1983_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1983 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1983</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1987_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1987 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1987</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1992_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1992 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1992</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1997_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="1997 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">1997</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2001_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="2001 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">2001</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2005_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="2005 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">2005</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2010_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="2010 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">2010</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2015_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="2015 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">2015</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2017_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="2017 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">2017</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_United_Kingdom_general_election_in_Scotland" title="2019 United Kingdom general election in Scotland">2019</a></li></ul> <hr /> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Scotland#European_Parliament" title="Elections in Scotland">European Parliament elections</a></b><br /> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1979_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="1979 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">1979</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1984_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="1984 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">1984</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1989_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="1989 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">1989</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1994_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="1994 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">1994</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1999_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="1999 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">1999</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2004_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="2004 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">2004</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2009_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="2009 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">2009</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2014_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="2014 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">2014</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">2019</a></li></ul> <hr /> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Scotland#Local_councils" title="Elections in Scotland">Local elections</a></b><br /> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1967_Scottish_local_elections" title="1967 Scottish local elections">1967</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=1968_Scottish_local_elections&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="1968 Scottish local elections (page does not exist)">1968</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1969_Scottish_local_elections" title="1969 Scottish local elections">1969</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1970_Scottish_local_elections" title="1970 Scottish local elections">1970</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1971_Scottish_local_elections" title="1971 Scottish local elections">1971</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1972_Scottish_local_elections" title="1972 Scottish local elections">1972</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1973_Scottish_local_elections" title="1973 Scottish local elections">1973</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1974_Scottish_local_elections" title="1974 Scottish local elections">1974</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1977_Scottish_local_elections" title="1977 Scottish local elections">1977</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1980_Scottish_local_elections" title="1980 Scottish local elections">1980</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1982_Scottish_regional_elections" title="1982 Scottish regional elections">1982</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1984_Scottish_local_elections" title="1984 Scottish local elections">1984</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1986_Scottish_regional_elections" title="1986 Scottish regional elections">1986</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1988_Scottish_local_elections" title="1988 Scottish local elections">1988</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1990_Scottish_regional_elections" title="1990 Scottish regional elections">1990</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1992_Scottish_local_elections" title="1992 Scottish local elections">1992</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1994_Scottish_regional_elections" title="1994 Scottish regional elections">1994</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1995_Scottish_local_elections" title="1995 Scottish local elections">1995</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1999_Scottish_local_elections" title="1999 Scottish local elections">1999</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2003_Scottish_local_elections" title="2003 Scottish local elections">2003</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2007_Scottish_local_elections" title="2007 Scottish local elections">2007</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2012_Scottish_local_elections" title="2012 Scottish local elections">2012</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2017_Scottish_local_elections" title="2017 Scottish local elections">2017</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2022_Scottish_local_elections" title="2022 Scottish local elections">2022</a></li></ul> <hr /> <p><b><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Scotland#Referendums" title="Elections in Scotland">Referendums</a></b><br /> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1975_United_Kingdom_European_Communities_membership_referendum" title="1975 United Kingdom European Communities membership referendum">1975</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1979_Scottish_devolution_referendum" title="1979 Scottish devolution referendum">1979</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1994_Strathclyde_water_referendum" title="1994 Strathclyde water referendum">1994</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1997_Scottish_devolution_referendum" title="1997 Scottish devolution referendum">1997</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Edinburgh_congestion_charge#Referendum" title="Edinburgh congestion charge">2005</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2011_United_Kingdom_Alternative_Vote_referendum" title="2011 United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum">2011</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2014_Scottish_independence_referendum" title="2014 Scottish independence referendum">2014</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">2016</a></li></ul> <hr /> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament_constituencies_and_electoral_regions_from_2011#Constituencies" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish Parliament constituencies and electoral regions from 2011">Scottish Parliament constituencies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament_constituencies_and_electoral_regions_from_2011#Electoral_regions" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish Parliament constituencies and electoral regions from 2011">Scottish Parliament electoral regions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Westminster_constituencies" title="Scottish Westminster constituencies">Scottish Westminster constituencies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proposed_second_Scottish_independence_referendum" title="Proposed second Scottish independence referendum">Proposed second independence referendum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Electoral_system_of_Scotland" title="Electoral system of Scotland">Electoral system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Scotland" title="List of political parties in Scotland">Political parties</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Devolution_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Devolution in the United Kingdom">Scotland and the United Kingdom</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Government_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Government of the United Kingdom">United Kingdom Government</a></b></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/Starmer_ministry" title="Starmer ministry">Starmer ministry</a> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Prime Minister of the United Kingdom">Prime Minister</a></b><br /></li></ul> <p><small><a href="/wiki/The_Rt_Hon" class="mw-redirect" title="The Rt Hon">The Rt Hon</a></small> <a href="/wiki/Keir_Starmer" title="Keir Starmer">Keir Starmer</a> <small><a href="/wiki/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)" title="Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)">MP</a></small> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Secretary_of_State_for_Scotland" title="Secretary of State for Scotland">Secretary of State for Scotland</a></b></li></ul> <p><small><a href="/wiki/The_Rt_Hon" class="mw-redirect" title="The Rt Hon">The Rt Hon</a></small> <a href="/wiki/Ian_Murray_(Scottish_politician)" title="Ian Murray (Scottish politician)">Ian Murray</a> <small><a href="/wiki/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)" title="Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)">MP</a></small> </p> <hr /> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/History_of_Scottish_devolution" class="mw-redirect" title="History of Scottish devolution">Scottish devolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Union" title="Treaty of Union">Treaty of Union</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="House of Commons of the United Kingdom">House of Commons</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/House_of_Lords" title="House of Lords">House of Lords</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Office_of_the_Secretary_of_State_for_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland">Scotland Office</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Affairs_Committee" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish Affairs Committee">Scottish Affairs Committee</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Grand_Committee" title="Scottish Grand Committee">Scottish Grand Committee</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Interministerial_Standing_Committee" class="mw-redirect" title="Interministerial Standing Committee">Interministerial Standing Committee</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Barnett_formula" title="Barnett formula">Barnett formula</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reserved_and_excepted_matters" class="mw-redirect" title="Reserved and excepted matters">Reserved matters</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legislative_consent_motion" title="Legislative consent motion">Sewel motion</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:left; background:lavender;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Local_government_in_Scotland" title="Local government in Scotland">Administration</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Subdivisions_of_Scotland" title="Subdivisions of Scotland">Council areas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_local_government_in_Scotland" title="History of local government in Scotland">History</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sheriffdom" title="Sheriffdom">Sheriffdoms</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_community_council_areas_in_Scotland" title="List of community council areas in Scotland">Community councils</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lieutenancy_areas_of_Scotland" title="Lieutenancy areas of Scotland">Lieutenancy areas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Convention_of_Scottish_Local_Authorities" title="Convention of Scottish Local Authorities">Convention of Scottish Local Authorities</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Politics_of_Scotland" title="Category:Politics of Scotland">Category</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Portal:Scotland" title="Portal:Scotland">Scotland portal</a></li></ul> <div class="hlist" style="text-align:center;font-weight:normal;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Outline_of_political_science#Politics_by_region" title="Outline of political science">Other countries</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Politics_of_Scotland" title="Template:Politics of Scotland"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Politics_of_Scotland" title="Template talk:Politics of Scotland"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Politics_of_Scotland" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Politics of Scotland"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile nowraplinks"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle">Part of a series on</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Scots law</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_in_Scotland.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_in_Scotland.svg/150px-Coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_in_Scotland.svg.png" decoding="async" width="150" height="145" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_in_Scotland.svg/225px-Coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_in_Scotland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_in_Scotland.svg/300px-Coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_in_Scotland.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1550" data-file-height="1500" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Administration</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content" style="text-align: left"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Justice_and_Communities_Directorate" class="mw-redirect" title="Justice and Communities Directorate">Justice and Communities Directorate</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Government" title="Scottish Government">Scottish Government</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cabinet_Secretary_for_Justice" class="mw-redirect" title="Cabinet Secretary for Justice">Cabinet Secretary for Justice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judicial_Appointments_Board_for_Scotland" title="Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland">Judicial Appointments Board</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judicial_Complaints_Reviewer" title="Judicial Complaints Reviewer">Judicial Complaints Reviewer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Parole_Board_for_Scotland" title="Parole Board for Scotland">Parole Board for Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Legal_Aid_Board" title="Scottish Legal Aid Board">Legal Aid Board</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Courts_and_Tribunals_Service" title="Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service">Courts & Tribunals Service</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/College_of_Justice" title="College of Justice">College of Justice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Office_of_the_Public_Guardian_(Scotland)" title="Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland)">Office of the Public Guardian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Sentencing_Council" title="Scottish Sentencing Council">Scottish Sentencing Council</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Law_Commission" title="Scottish Law Commission">Law Commission</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Criminal_Cases_Review_Commission" title="Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission">Criminal Cases Review Commission</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Prison_Service" title="Scottish Prison Service">Prison Service</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Civil courts</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content" style="text-align: left"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Court_of_Session" title="Court of Session">Court of Session</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Lord_President_of_the_Court_of_Session" title="Lord President of the Court of Session">Lord President</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lord_Justice_Clerk" title="Lord Justice Clerk">Lord Justice Clerk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Senator_of_the_College_of_Justice" title="Senator of the College of Justice">Lord of Session</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Office_of_the_Accountant_of_Court" title="Office of the Accountant of Court">Office of the Accountant of Court</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Act_of_Sederunt" title="Act of Sederunt">Acts of Sederunt</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Court" class="mw-redirect" title="Sheriff Court">Sheriff Court</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Appeal_Court" title="Sheriff Appeal Court">Sheriff Appeal Court</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_principal" title="Sheriff principal">Sheriff Principal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Personal_Injury_Court" title="Sheriff Personal Injury Court">Sheriff Personal Injury Court</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff" title="Sheriff">Sheriff</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Criminal courts</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content" style="text-align: left"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/High_Court_of_Justiciary" title="High Court of Justiciary">High Court of Justiciary</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Lord_President_of_the_Court_of_Session" title="Lord President of the Court of Session">Lord Justice-General</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lord_Justice_Clerk" title="Lord Justice Clerk">Lord Justice Clerk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Senator_of_the_College_of_Justice" title="Senator of the College of Justice">Lords Commissioner of Justiciary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Act_of_Adjournal" title="Act of Adjournal">Acts of Adjournal</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_court" title="Sheriff court">Sheriff courts</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Appeal_Court" title="Sheriff Appeal Court">Sheriff Appeal Court</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_principal" title="Sheriff principal">Sheriff Principal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff" title="Sheriff">Sheriffs</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Justice_of_the_peace_court" title="Justice of the peace court">Justice of the peace courts</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Justice_of_the_peace" title="Justice of the peace">Justices of the peace</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Special courts</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content" style="text-align: left"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Court_of_the_Lord_Lyon" title="Court of the Lord Lyon">Court of the Lord Lyon</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Lord_Lyon_King_of_Arms" title="Lord Lyon King of Arms">Lord Lyon King of Arms</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Children%27s_Reporter_Administration" title="Scottish Children's Reporter Administration">Children's Reporter Administration</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Children%27s_Hearings" class="mw-redirect" title="Children's Hearings">Children's Hearings</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Land_Court" title="Scottish Land Court">Land Court</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lands_Tribunal_for_Scotland" title="Lands Tribunal for Scotland">Lands Tribunal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Solicitors%27_Discipline_Tribunal" title="Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal">Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Criminal prosecution</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content" style="text-align: left"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Lord_Advocate" title="Lord Advocate">Lord Advocate</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Crown_Office_and_Procurator_Fiscal_Service" title="Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service">Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Advocate_Depute" class="mw-redirect" title="Advocate Depute">Advocate Depute</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Procurator_fiscal" title="Procurator fiscal">Procurator fiscal</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Fiscal_fine" title="Fiscal fine">Fiscal fine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Precognition_(Scots_law)" title="Precognition (Scots law)">Precognition</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Legal profession</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content" style="text-align: left"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Judiciary_of_Scotland" title="Judiciary of Scotland">Judiciary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Faculty_of_Advocates" title="Faculty of Advocates">Faculty of Advocates</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Advocate" title="Advocate">Advocate</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_Society_of_Scotland" title="Law Society of Scotland">Law Society</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Solicitor-Advocate" class="mw-redirect" title="Solicitor-Advocate">Solicitor-Advocate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Solicitor" title="Solicitor">Solicitor</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Association_of_Commercial_Attorneys&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Association of Commercial Attorneys (page does not exist)">Association of Commercial Attorneys</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Legal_Complaints_Commission" title="Scottish Legal Complaints Commission">Scottish Legal Complaints Commission</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Scots_law" title="Template:Scots law"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Scots_law" title="Template talk:Scots law"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Scots_law" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Scots law"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>Scots law</b> (<a href="/wiki/Scottish_Gaelic_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish Gaelic language">Scottish Gaelic</a>: <i lang="gd">Lagh na h-Alba</i>) is the <a href="/wiki/List_of_country_legal_systems" class="mw-redirect" title="List of country legal systems">legal system</a> of <a href="/wiki/Scotland" title="Scotland">Scotland</a>. It is a hybrid or mixed legal system containing <a href="/wiki/Civil_law_(legal_system)" title="Civil law (legal system)">civil law</a> and <a href="/wiki/Common_law" title="Common law">common law</a> elements, that traces its roots to a number of different historical sources.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Together with <a href="/wiki/English_law" title="English law">English law</a> and <a href="/wiki/Northern_Irish_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Northern Irish law">Northern Irish law</a>, it is one of the three <a href="/wiki/Legal_systems_of_the_United_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="Legal systems of the United Kingdom">legal systems of the United Kingdom</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Stair_juris_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Stair_juris-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Scots law recognises four sources of law: legislation, legal precedent, specific academic writings, and custom. Legislation affecting Scotland and Scots law is passed by the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a> on all areas of devolved responsibility, and the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_Parliament" class="mw-redirect" title="United Kingdom Parliament">United Kingdom Parliament</a> on reserved matters. Some legislation passed by the pre-1707 <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_Scotland" title="Parliament of Scotland">Parliament of Scotland</a> is still also valid. </p><p><a href="/wiki/History_of_Scots_law" title="History of Scots law">Early Scots law</a> before the 12th century consisted of the different legal traditions of the various cultural groups who inhabited the country at the time, the <a href="/wiki/Gaels" title="Gaels">Gaels</a> in most of the country, with the <a href="/wiki/Britons_(historical)" class="mw-redirect" title="Britons (historical)">Britons</a> and <a href="/wiki/Anglo-Saxons" title="Anglo-Saxons">Anglo-Saxons</a> in some districts south of the Forth and with the <a href="/wiki/Scandinavian_Scotland" title="Scandinavian Scotland">Norse</a> in the islands and north of the <a href="/wiki/River_Oykel" title="River Oykel">River Oykel</a>. The introduction of <a href="/wiki/Feudalism" title="Feudalism">feudalism</a> from the 12th century and the expansion of the <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Scotland" title="Kingdom of Scotland">Kingdom of Scotland</a> established the modern roots of Scots law, which was gradually influenced by other, especially <a href="/wiki/Anglo-Normans" title="Anglo-Normans">Anglo-Norman</a> and <a href="/wiki/Continental_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Continental law">continental legal traditions</a>. Although there was some indirect <a href="/wiki/Roman_law" title="Roman law">Roman law</a> influence on Scots law, the direct influence of Roman law was slight up until around the 15th century. After this time, Roman law was often adopted in argument in court, in an adapted form, where there was no native Scots rule to settle a dispute; and Roman law was in this way partially received into Scots law. </p><p>Since the <a href="/wiki/Union_with_England_Act_1707" class="mw-redirect" title="Union with England Act 1707">Union with England Act 1707</a>, Scotland has shared a <a href="/wiki/Legislature" title="Legislature">legislature</a> with <a href="/wiki/England_and_Wales" title="England and Wales">England and Wales</a>. Scotland retained a fundamentally different legal system from that south of <a href="/wiki/Anglo-Scottish_border" title="Anglo-Scottish border">the border</a>, but the Union exerted English influence upon Scots law. Since the UK joined the European Union, Scots law has also been affected by <a href="/wiki/European_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European law">European law</a> under the <a href="/wiki/Treaties_of_the_European_Union" title="Treaties of the European Union">Treaties of the European Union</a>, the requirements of the <a href="/wiki/European_Convention_on_Human_Rights" title="European Convention on Human Rights">European Convention on Human Rights</a> (entered into by members of the <a href="/wiki/Council_of_Europe" title="Council of Europe">Council of Europe</a>) and the creation of the devolved Scottish Parliament which may pass legislation within all areas not <a href="/wiki/Reserved_matters_(Westminster)#Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Reserved matters (Westminster)">reserved to Westminster</a>, as detailed by the <a href="/wiki/Scotland_Act_1998" title="Scotland Act 1998">Scotland Act 1998</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Sch_5_Scotland_Act_1998_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sch_5_Scotland_Act_1998-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Sco_Parl_Devolution_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sco_Parl_Devolution-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/UK_Withdrawal_from_the_European_Union_(Continuity)_(Scotland)_Act_2020" class="mw-redirect" title="UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2020">UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2020</a> was passed by the Scottish Parliament in December 2020.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It received <a href="/wiki/Royal_assent" title="Royal assent">royal assent</a> on 29 January 2021 and came into operation on the same day. It provides powers for the Scottish Ministers to keep devolved Scots law in alignment with future <a href="/wiki/EU_Law" class="mw-redirect" title="EU Law">EU Law</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Scotland_as_a_distinct_jurisdiction">Scotland as a distinct jurisdiction</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Scotland as a distinct jurisdiction"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066933788">.mw-parser-output .excerpt-hat .mw-editsection-like{font-style:normal}</style><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1066933788"><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile nowraplinks hlist"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle">Part of <a href="/wiki/Category:Scotland" title="Category:Scotland">a series</a> on the</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa"><span class="wraplinks"><a href="/wiki/Culture_of_Scotland" title="Culture of Scotland">Culture of Scotland</a></span></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image photo"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Scotland.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/110px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png" decoding="async" width="110" height="66" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/165px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/220px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><a href="/wiki/History_of_Scotland" title="History of Scotland">History</a></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><div class="excerpt-block"><div class="excerpt"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_Scottish_history" title="Timeline of Scottish history">Timeline</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Prehistoric_Scotland" title="Prehistoric Scotland">Prehistoric</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_during_the_Roman_Empire" title="Scotland during the Roman Empire">Roman times</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_Middle_Ages" title="Scotland in the Middle Ages">Middle Ages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_Early_Middle_Ages" title="Scotland in the Early Middle Ages">Early Middle Ages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Scotland" title="Kingdom of Scotland">Kingdom</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_High_Middle_Ages" title="Scotland in the High Middle Ages">High Middle Ages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Davidian_Revolution" title="Davidian Revolution">Davidian Revolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wars_of_Scottish_Independence" title="Wars of Scottish Independence">Wars of Independence</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_Late_Middle_Ages" title="Scotland in the Late Middle Ages">Late Middle Ages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Renaissance_in_Scotland" title="Renaissance in Scotland">Renaissance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_early_modern_period" title="Scotland in the early modern period">Early modern</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Reformation" title="Scottish Reformation">Reformation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_colonization_of_the_Americas" title="Scottish colonization of the Americas">Colonisation of the Americas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glorious_Revolution_in_Scotland" title="Glorious Revolution in Scotland">Glorious Revolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Union" title="Treaty of Union">Treaty of Union</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Acts_of_Union_1707" title="Acts of Union 1707">1707 Acts of Union</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jacobitism" title="Jacobitism">Jacobitism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Enlightenment" title="Scottish Enlightenment">Enlightenment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lowland_Clearances" title="Lowland Clearances">Lowland Clearances</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Highland_Clearances" title="Highland Clearances">Highland Clearances</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Industrial_Revolution_in_Scotland" title="Industrial Revolution in Scotland">Industrial Revolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romanticism_in_Scotland" title="Romanticism in Scotland">Romanticism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_modern_era" title="Scotland in the modern era">Modern</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-size:105%;line-height:1.6;"> <a href="/wiki/Scottish_people" title="Scottish people">People</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><a href="/wiki/Languages_of_Scotland" title="Languages of Scotland">Languages</a></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Gaelic" title="Scottish Gaelic">Scottish Gaelic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scots_language" title="Scots language">Broad Scots</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_English" title="Scottish English">Scottish English</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pictish_language" title="Pictish language">Pictish</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Norn_language" title="Norn language">Norn</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><a href="/wiki/Category:Scottish_traditions" title="Category:Scottish traditions">Traditions</a></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Scottish_clothing" title="Category:Scottish clothing">Clothing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hackle" title="Hackle">Hackle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Burning_of_the_Clavie" class="mw-redirect" title="Burning of the Clavie">Burning of the Clavie</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Burns_supper" title="Burns supper">Burns supper</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Common_Riding" class="mw-redirect" title="Common Riding">Common Riding</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crofting" title="Crofting">Crofting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saining" title="Saining">Saining</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Scots law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_clan" title="Scottish clan">Scottish clan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Skalk" title="Skalk">Skalk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Up_Helly_Aa" title="Up Helly Aa">Up Helly Aa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Obsolete_Scottish_units_of_measurement" class="mw-redirect" title="Obsolete Scottish units of measurement">Units of measurement</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-size:105%;line-height:1.6;"> <a href="/wiki/Scottish_mythology" title="Scottish mythology">Mythology</a> and <a href="/wiki/Folklore_of_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Folklore of Scotland">folklore</a></th></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-size:105%;line-height:1.6;"> <a href="/wiki/Scottish_cuisine" title="Scottish cuisine">Cuisine</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><a href="/wiki/Public_and_bank_holidays_in_Scotland" title="Public and bank holidays in Scotland">Festivals</a></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/St._Andrew%27s_Day" class="mw-redirect" title="St. Andrew's Day">St. Andrew's Day</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hogmanay" title="Hogmanay">Hogmanay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Burns_supper" title="Burns supper">Burns supper</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tartan_Day" title="Tartan Day">Tartan Day</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lanark_Lanimers" title="Lanark Lanimers">Lanimer Day</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Imbolc" title="Imbolc">Imbolc</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Beltane" title="Beltane">Bealltainn</a>/<a href="/wiki/May_Day" title="May Day">May Day</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lughnasadh" title="Lughnasadh">Lùnastal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Samhain" title="Samhain">Samhainn</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-size:105%;line-height:1.6;"> <a href="/wiki/Religion_in_Scotland" title="Religion in Scotland">Religion</a></th></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-size:105%;line-height:1.6;"> <a href="/wiki/Scottish_art" title="Scottish art">Art</a></th></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="font-size:105%;line-height:1.6;"> <a href="/wiki/Scottish_literature" title="Scottish literature">Literature</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><a href="/wiki/Music_of_Scotland" title="Music of Scotland">Music</a> and <a href="/wiki/Category:Performing_arts_in_Scotland" title="Category:Performing arts in Scotland">performing arts</a></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Music_of_Scotland#Folk_music" title="Music of Scotland">Folk music</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_highland_dance" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish highland dance">Scottish highland dance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_country_dance" title="Scottish country dance">Scottish country dance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_sword_dances" title="Scottish sword dances">Scottish sword dances</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mod_(Scotland)" class="mw-redirect" title="Mod (Scotland)">Mod</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Keening" title="Keening">Keening</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Waulking_song" title="Waulking song">Waulking song</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Opera_in_Scotland" title="Opera in Scotland">Opera</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Puirt_%C3%A0_beul" title="Puirt à beul">Puirt à beul</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Border_Ballad&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Border Ballad (page does not exist)">Border Ballad</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><a href="/wiki/Media_of_Scotland" title="Media of Scotland">Media</a></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Radio_in_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Radio in Scotland">Radio</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Television_in_Scotland" title="Television in Scotland">Television</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cinema_of_Scotland" title="Cinema of Scotland">Cinema</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><a href="/wiki/Sport_in_Scotland" title="Sport in Scotland">Sport</a></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Golf" title="Golf">Golf</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Curling" title="Curling">Curling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Football_in_Scotland" title="Football in Scotland">Football</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Haggis_hurling" title="Haggis hurling">Haggis hurling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hailes_(ball_game)" title="Hailes (ball game)">Hailes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Highland_games" title="Highland games">Highland games</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Horse_racing_in_Scotland" title="Horse racing in Scotland">Horse racing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rugby_sevens" title="Rugby sevens">Rugby sevens</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rugby_union_in_Scotland" title="Rugby union in Scotland">Rugby union</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shinty" title="Shinty">Shinty</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shot_put" title="Shot put">Shot put</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c">Monuments</div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_World_Heritage_Sites_in_Scotland" title="List of World Heritage Sites in Scotland">World Heritage Sites</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)"><div class="sidebar-list-title-c"><a href="/wiki/Symbols_of_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Symbols of Scotland">Symbols</a></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Flag_of_Scotland" title="Flag of Scotland">Flag</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Scotland" title="Coat of arms of Scotland">Coat of arms</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_anthem_of_Scotland" title="National anthem of Scotland">National anthem</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Banner_of_Scotland" title="Royal Banner of Scotland">Lion Rampant</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thistle" title="Thistle">Thistle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tartan" title="Tartan">Tartan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Celtic_cross" title="Celtic cross">Celtic cross</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Celtic_knot" title="Celtic knot">Celtic knot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_inventions_and_discoveries" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish inventions and discoveries">Scottish inventions and discoveries</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><span class="mw-image-border noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="flag" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/16px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="10" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/24px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/32px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Portal:Scotland" title="Portal:Scotland">Scotland portal</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Culture_of_Scotland" title="Template:Culture of Scotland"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Culture_of_Scotland" title="Template talk:Culture of Scotland"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Culture_of_Scotland" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Culture of Scotland"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The United Kingdom, judicially, consists of three <a href="/wiki/Jurisdiction_(area)" title="Jurisdiction (area)">jurisdictions</a>: England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.<sup id="cite_ref-Stair_juris_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Stair_juris-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There are important differences among Scots law, <a href="/wiki/English_law" title="English law">English law</a> and <a href="/wiki/Northern_Irish_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Northern Irish law">Northern Irish law</a> in areas such as <a href="/wiki/Property_law" title="Property law">property law</a>, <a href="/wiki/Criminal_law" title="Criminal law">criminal law</a>, <a href="/wiki/Trust_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Trust law">trust law</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Inheritance_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Inheritance law">inheritance law</a>, <a href="/wiki/Evidence_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Evidence law">evidence law</a> and <a href="/wiki/Family_law" title="Family law">family law</a> while there are greater similarities in areas of UK-wide interest such as <a href="/wiki/Commercial_law" title="Commercial law">commercial law</a>, consumer rights,<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> taxation, employment law and health and safety regulations.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Examples of differences among the jurisdictions include the <a href="/wiki/Age_of_legal_capacity" class="mw-redirect" title="Age of legal capacity">age of legal capacity</a> (16 years old in Scotland but 18 years old in England and Wales),<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and the fact that <a href="/wiki/Equity_(law)" title="Equity (law)">equity</a> was never a distinct branch of Scots law.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Some examples in criminal law include: </p> <ul><li>The use of 15-member juries for criminal trials in Scotland (compared with 12-member juries in England and Wales) who always decide by simple majority.<sup id="cite_ref-Jones,_T.H_2008_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Jones,_T.H_2008-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>The accused in a criminal trial does not have the right to elect between a <a href="/wiki/Judge" title="Judge">judge</a> or <a href="/wiki/Trial_by_jury_in_Scotland" title="Trial by jury in Scotland">jury trial</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Jones,_T.H_2008_14-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Jones,_T.H_2008-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>Judges and juries of criminal trials have the "third verdict" of <i><a href="/wiki/Not_proven" title="Not proven">not proven</a></i> available to them.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-In3V_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-In3V-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>The requirement for <a href="/wiki/Corroboration_in_Scots_law" title="Corroboration in Scots law">corroborating evidence</a> means at least two independent sources of evidence are required in support of each crucial fact before an accused can be convicted.</li></ul> <p>In Scotland there are <a href="/wiki/Justice_of_the_peace_court" title="Justice of the peace court">justice of the peace courts</a> and <a href="/wiki/Sheriff_court" title="Sheriff court">sheriff courts</a>, rather than <a href="/wiki/Magistrates%27_court_(England_and_Wales)" title="Magistrates' court (England and Wales)">magistrates' courts</a> or <a href="/wiki/Crown_Court" title="Crown Court">Crown Court</a> as in England and Wales. The High Court of Justiciary is Scotland’s supreme criminal court and deals with the most serious crime. The <a href="/wiki/Court_of_Session" title="Court of Session">Court of Session</a> is the supreme civil court. </p><p>The majority of crime is prosecuted by The <a href="/wiki/Crown_Office_and_Procurator_Fiscal_Service" title="Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service">Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service</a>, which provides the independent public prosecution service for Scotland similar to the <a href="/wiki/Crown_Prosecution_Service" title="Crown Prosecution Service">Crown Prosecution Service</a> in England and Wales and the <a href="/wiki/Public_Prosecution_Service_for_Northern_Ireland" title="Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland">Public Prosecution Service</a> in Northern Ireland. </p><p>The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is also the country’s death investigation service,<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and is responsible for investigating all suspicious, sudden or unexplained deaths. </p><p>Unlike England and Wales Scotland has no coronial system to investigate deaths. Instead a <a href="/wiki/Fatal_Accident_Inquiry" class="mw-redirect" title="Fatal Accident Inquiry">Fatal Accident Inquiry</a> (FAI), presided over by a judge, may be established to determine the cause of a death and any steps to prevent deaths in similar circumstances. </p><p>Except in circumstances where an FAI is mandatory, such as deaths in prison or in police custody, the Crown Office will determine whether an FAI would be in the public interest. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/History_of_Scots_law" title="History of Scots law">History of Scots law</a></div> <p>Scots law can be traced to its early beginnings as a number of different custom systems among Scotland's early cultures to its modern role as one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. The various historic sources of Scots law, including <a href="/wiki/Custom_(law)" class="mw-redirect" title="Custom (law)">custom</a>, <a href="/wiki/Feudal_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Feudal law">feudal law</a>, <a href="/wiki/Canon_law" title="Canon law">canon law</a>, <a href="/wiki/Civil_law_(legal_system)" title="Civil law (legal system)">civilian</a> <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la"><a href="/wiki/Jus_commune" title="Jus commune">ius commune</a></i></span> and English law have created a <a href="/wiki/Pluralistic_legal_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Pluralistic legal system">hybrid or mixed legal system</a>. </p><p>The nature of Scots law before the 12th century is largely speculative, but is likely to have been a mixture of different legal traditions representing the different cultures inhabiting the land at the time, including <a href="/wiki/Brehon_Laws" class="mw-redirect" title="Brehon Laws">Gaelic</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cyfraith_Hywel" title="Cyfraith Hywel">Welsh</a>, <a href="/wiki/Medieval_Scandinavian_law" title="Medieval Scandinavian law">Norse</a> and <a href="/wiki/Anglo-Saxon_law" title="Anglo-Saxon law">Anglo-Saxon</a> customs.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There is evidence to suggest that as late as the 17th century marriage laws in the <a href="/wiki/Highlands_and_Islands" title="Highlands and Islands">Highlands and Islands</a> still reflected Gaelic custom, contrary to <a href="/wiki/Catholic_Church" title="Catholic Church">Catholic</a> religious principles.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The formation of the Kingdom of Scotland and its subjugation of the surrounding cultures, completed by the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Carham" title="Battle of Carham">Battle of Carham</a>, established what are approximately the boundaries of contemporary mainland Scotland.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Outer_Hebrides" title="Outer Hebrides">Outer Hebrides</a> were added after the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Largs" title="Battle of Largs">Battle of Largs</a> in 1263, and the <a href="/wiki/Northern_Isles" title="Northern Isles">Northern Isles</a> were acquired in 1469, completing what is today the legal jurisdiction of Scotland.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>From the 12th century <a href="/wiki/Feudalism" title="Feudalism">feudalism</a> was gradually introduced to Scotland and established <a href="/wiki/Feudal_land_tenure" class="mw-redirect" title="Feudal land tenure">feudal land tenure</a> over many parts of the south and east, which eventually spread northward.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As feudalism began to develop in Scotland early court systems began to develop, including early forms of <a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Court" class="mw-redirect" title="Sheriff Court">Sheriff Courts</a>. </p><p>Under <a href="/wiki/Robert_I_of_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Robert I of Scotland">Robert the Bruce</a> the importance of the <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_Scotland" title="Parliament of Scotland">Parliament of Scotland</a> grew as he called parliaments more frequently, and its composition shifted to include more representation from the <a href="/wiki/Burgh" title="Burgh">burghs</a> and lesser landowners.<sup id="cite_ref-Reid_38_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reid_38-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 1399 a General Council established that the King should hold a parliament at least once a year for the next three years so "that his subjects are served by the law".<sup id="cite_ref-Reid_38_24-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Reid_38-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 1318 a parliament at <a href="/wiki/Scone,_Scotland" title="Scone, Scotland">Scone</a> enacted a code of law that drew upon older practices, but it was also dominated by current events and focused on military matters and the conduct of <a href="/wiki/First_War_of_Scottish_Independence" title="First War of Scottish Independence">the war of Scottish Independence</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>From the 14th century we have surviving examples of early Scottish legal literature, such as the <i><a href="/wiki/Regiam_Majestatem" title="Regiam Majestatem">Regiam Majestatem</a></i> (on procedure at the royal courts) and the <i>Quoniam Attachiamenta</i> (on procedure at the baron courts).<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Both of these important texts, as they were copied, had provisions from <a href="/wiki/Roman_law" title="Roman law">Roman law</a> and the <i><a href="/wiki/Ius_commune" class="mw-redirect" title="Ius commune">ius commune</a></i> inserted or developed, demonstrating the influence which both these sources had on Scots law.<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>From the reign of King <a href="/wiki/James_I_of_Scotland" title="James I of Scotland">James I</a> to King <a href="/wiki/James_V_of_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="James V of Scotland">James V</a> the beginnings of a legal profession began to develop and the administration of criminal and civil justice was centralised.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Parliament of Scotland was normally called on an annual basis during this period and its membership was further defined.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The evolution of the modern <a href="/wiki/Court_of_Session" title="Court of Session">Court of Session</a> also traces its history to the 15th and early 16th century with the establishment of a specialised group of councillors to the King evolving from the King's Council who dealt solely with the administration of justice. In 1528, it was established that the Lords of Council not appointed to this body were to be excluded from its audiences and it was also this body that four years later in 1532 became the College of Justice.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The 1688 <a href="/wiki/Glorious_Revolution_in_Scotland" title="Glorious Revolution in Scotland">Glorious Revolution</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Claim_of_Right_1689" title="Claim of Right 1689">Claim of Right</a> in 1689 <a href="/wiki/Constitution_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Constitution of the United Kingdom">established</a> <a href="/wiki/Parliamentary_sovereignty_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Parliamentary sovereignty in the United Kingdom">Parliamentary Sovereignty</a> in Scotland, and the <a href="/wiki/Acts_of_Union_1707" title="Acts of Union 1707">Acts of Union 1707</a> merged the <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Scotland" title="Kingdom of Scotland">Kingdom of Scotland</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_England" title="Kingdom of England">Kingdom of England</a> to form the new <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Great_Britain" title="Kingdom of Great Britain">Kingdom of Great Britain</a>. Article 19 of the <a href="/wiki/Acts_of_Union_1707" title="Acts of Union 1707">Act</a> confirmed the continuing authority of the <a href="/wiki/College_of_Justice" title="College of Justice">College of Justice</a>, <a href="/wiki/Court_of_Session" title="Court of Session">Court of Session</a> and <a href="/wiki/Court_of_Justiciary" class="mw-redirect" title="Court of Justiciary">Court of Justiciary</a> in Scotland.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Article 3, however, merged the <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_Scotland" title="Parliament of Scotland">Estates of Scotland</a> with the <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_England" title="Parliament of England">Parliament of England</a> to form the <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_Great_Britain" title="Parliament of Great Britain">Parliament of Great Britain</a>, with its seat in the <a href="/wiki/Palace_of_Westminster" title="Palace of Westminster">Palace of Westminster</a>, <a href="/wiki/London,_England" class="mw-redirect" title="London, England">London</a>. Under the terms of the Act of Union, Scotland retained its own systems of law, education and Church (<a href="/wiki/Church_of_Scotland" title="Church of Scotland">Church of Scotland</a>, <a href="/wiki/Presbyterian" class="mw-redirect" title="Presbyterian">Presbyterian</a> polity), separately from the rest of the country. </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_Great_Britain" title="Parliament of Great Britain">Parliament of Great Britain</a> otherwise was not restricted in altering laws concerning public right, policy and civil government, but concerning private right, only alterations for the evident utility of the subjects within Scotland were permitted. The <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Enlightenment" title="Scottish Enlightenment">Scottish Enlightenment</a> then reinvigorated Scots law as a university-taught discipline. The transfer of legislative power to London and the introduction of appeal in civil but not criminal cases to the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Lords" title="House of Lords">House of Lords</a> (now, by appeal to the new <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Supreme Court of the United Kingdom">Supreme Court of the United Kingdom</a>) brought further English influence. Acts of the Parliament began to create unified legal statutes applying in both England and Scotland, particularly when conformity was seen as necessary for pragmatic reasons (such as the <a href="/wiki/Sale_of_Goods_Act_1893" title="Sale of Goods Act 1893">Sale of Goods Act 1893</a>). Appeal decisions by English judges raised concerns about this appeal to a foreign system, and in the late 19th century Acts allowed for the appointment of <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Lords_of_Appeal_in_Ordinary" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish Lords of Appeal in Ordinary">Scottish Lords of Appeal in Ordinary</a>. At the same time, a series of cases made it clear that no appeal lay from the High Court of Justiciary to the House of Lords. Today the <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Supreme Court of the United Kingdom">Supreme Court of the United Kingdom</a> usually has a minimum of two Scottish justices to ensure that some Scottish experience is brought to bear on Scottish appeals.<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Scots law has continued to change and develop in the 20th century, with the most significant change coming under <a href="/wiki/Devolution_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Devolution in the United Kingdom">devolution</a> and the reformation of the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Influential_sources">Influential sources</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Influential sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>An early Scottish legal compilation, <i><a href="/wiki/Regiam_Majestatem" title="Regiam Majestatem">Regiam Majestatem</a></i>, was based heavily on <a href="/wiki/Ranulf_de_Glanvill" title="Ranulf de Glanvill">Glanvill</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Tractatus_of_Glanvill" class="mw-redirect" title="Tractatus of Glanvill">English law treatise</a>, although it also contains elements of <a href="/wiki/Civil_law_(legal_system)" title="Civil law (legal system)">civil law</a>, feudal law, canon law, customary law and native Scots <a href="/wiki/Statutes" class="mw-redirect" title="Statutes">statutes</a>. Although there was some indirect Roman-law influence on Scots law, via medieval <i>ius commune</i> and <a href="/wiki/Canon_law" title="Canon law">canon law</a> used in the <a href="/wiki/Church_courts" class="mw-redirect" title="Church courts">church courts</a>, the direct influence of Roman law was slight up until around the mid-15th century.<sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> After this time, civilian <i>ius commune</i> was often adopted in argument in court, in an adapted form, where there was no native Scots rule to settle a dispute; and civil law was in this way partially received <i>in subsidium</i> into Scots law. </p><p>Since the <a href="/wiki/Acts_of_Union_1707" title="Acts of Union 1707">Acts of Union 1707</a>, Scotland has shared a <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_Parliament" class="mw-redirect" title="United Kingdom Parliament">legislature</a> with the rest of the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>. Scotland retained a fundamentally different legal system from that of <a href="/wiki/England_and_Wales" title="England and Wales">England and Wales</a>, but the Union brought <a href="/wiki/England" title="England">English</a> influence on Scots law. In recent years, Scots law has also been affected by <a href="/wiki/European_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European law">European law</a> under the <a href="/wiki/Treaties_of_the_European_Union" title="Treaties of the European Union">Treaties of the European Union</a>, the requirements of the <a href="/wiki/European_Convention_on_Human_Rights" title="European Convention on Human Rights">European Convention on Human Rights</a> (entered into by members of the <a href="/wiki/Council_of_Europe" title="Council of Europe">Council of Europe</a>) and the establishment of the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a> which may pass legislation within its <a href="/wiki/Reserved_matters_(Westminster)#Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Reserved matters (Westminster)">areas of legislative competence</a> as detailed by the <a href="/wiki/Scotland_Act_1998" title="Scotland Act 1998">Scotland Act 1998</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Sch_5_Scotland_Act_1998_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sch_5_Scotland_Act_1998-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Sco_Parl_Devolution_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sco_Parl_Devolution-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Sources">Sources</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Legislation">Legislation</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Legislation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Parliament of the United Kingdom">Parliament of the United Kingdom</a> has the power to pass <a href="/wiki/Statutes" class="mw-redirect" title="Statutes">statutes</a> on any issue for Scotland, although under the <a href="/wiki/Sewel_convention" class="mw-redirect" title="Sewel convention">Sewel convention</a> it will not do so in <a href="/wiki/Reserved_matters_(Westminster)#Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Reserved matters (Westminster)">devolved matters</a> without the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a>'s consent.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Bradley_22_36-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bradley_22-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Human_Rights_Act_1998" title="Human Rights Act 1998">Human Rights Act 1998</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Scotland_Act_1998" title="Scotland Act 1998">Scotland Act 1998</a> and the <a href="/wiki/European_Communities_Act_1972_(UK)" title="European Communities Act 1972 (UK)">European Communities Act 1972</a> have special status in the law of Scotland.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Modern statutes will specify that they apply to <a href="/wiki/Scotland" title="Scotland">Scotland</a> and may also include special wording to take into consideration unique elements of the legal system. Statutes must receive <a href="/wiki/Royal_assent" title="Royal assent">royal assent</a> from the <a href="/wiki/King_of_the_United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Northern_Ireland" class="mw-redirect" title="King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland">King</a> before becoming <a href="/wiki/Law" title="Law">law</a>, however this is now only a formal procedure and is automatic.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Legislation of the <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Parliament of the United Kingdom">Parliament of the United Kingdom</a> is not subject to revocation by the courts as the Parliament is said to have supreme legal authority; however, application of legislation is subject to judicial review and also in practice, the Parliament will tend not to create legislation which contradicts the <a href="/wiki/Human_Rights_Act_1998" title="Human Rights Act 1998">Human Rights Act 1998</a> or <a href="/wiki/European_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European law">European law</a>, although it is technically free to do so.<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The degree to which the Parliament has surrendered this sovereignty is a matter of controversy with arguments generally concerning what the relationship should be between the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> and the <a href="/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Acts of the United Kingdom Parliament also regularly delegate powers to Ministers of the Crown or other bodies to produce legislation in the form of <a href="/wiki/Statutory_instrument" title="Statutory instrument">statutory instruments</a>. This delegated legislation has legal effect in Scotland so far as the specific provisions of the statutory instrument are duly authorised by the powers of the Act, a question which can be subjected to judicial review. </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a> is a <a href="/wiki/Devolution_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Devolution in the United Kingdom">devolved</a> <a href="/wiki/Unicameralism" title="Unicameralism">unicameral</a> <a href="/wiki/Legislature" title="Legislature">legislature</a> that has the power to pass statutes only affecting Scotland on matters <a href="/wiki/Reserved_matters_(Westminster)#Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Reserved matters (Westminster)">within its legislative competence</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Sco_Parl_Devolution_6-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sco_Parl_Devolution-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament must also comply with the <a href="/wiki/Human_Rights_Act_1998" title="Human Rights Act 1998">Human Rights Act 1998</a> and <a href="/wiki/European_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European law">European law</a>, otherwise the Court of Session or High Court of Justiciary have the authority to strike down the legislation as <i><a href="/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires">ultra vires</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There have been a number of high-profile examples of challenges to Scottish Parliament legislation on these grounds, including against the <a href="/wiki/Protection_of_Wild_Mammals_(Scotland)_Act_2002" title="Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002">Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002</a> where an interest group unsuccessfully claimed the ban on fox hunting violated their human rights.<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament also requires <a href="/wiki/Royal_assent" title="Royal assent">royal assent</a> which, like with the <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Parliament of the United Kingdom">Parliament of the United Kingdom</a>, is automatically granted.<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Legislation passed by the pre-1707 <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_Scotland" title="Parliament of Scotland">Parliament of Scotland</a> still has legal effect in Scotland, though the number of statutes that have not been repealed is limited. Examples include the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Mines_Act_1424" title="Royal Mines Act 1424">Royal Mines Act 1424</a>, which makes gold and silver mines the property of the <a href="/wiki/King_of_the_United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland" class="mw-redirect" title="King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland">King</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Leases_Act_1449" title="Leases Act 1449">Leases Act 1449</a>, which is still relied on today in <a href="/wiki/Property_law" title="Property law">property law</a> cases.<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Legislation which forms part of the law of Scotland should not be confused with a <a href="/wiki/Civil_code" title="Civil code">civil code</a> as it does not attempt to comprehensively detail the law. Legislation forms only one of a number of sources. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Common_law">Common law</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Common law"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Common_law" title="Common law">Common law</a> is an important legal source in Scotland, especially in <a href="/wiki/Criminal_law" title="Criminal law">criminal law</a> where a large body of <a href="/wiki/Legal_precedent" class="mw-redirect" title="Legal precedent">legal precedent</a> has been developed, so that many crimes, such as murder, are not <a href="/wiki/Codification_(law)" title="Codification (law)">codified</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Sources of common law in Scotland are the decisions of the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_courts" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish courts">Scottish courts</a> and certain rulings of the <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Supreme Court of the United Kingdom">Supreme Court of the United Kingdom</a> (including its predecessor the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Lords_Appellate_Committee" class="mw-redirect" title="House of Lords Appellate Committee">House of Lords</a>).<sup id="cite_ref-The_Criminal_Courts_48-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-The_Criminal_Courts-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The degree to which decisions of the Supreme Court are binding on Scottish courts in <a href="/wiki/Civil_law_(common_law)" title="Civil law (common law)">civil matters</a> is controversial, especially where those decisions relate to cases brought from other legal jurisdictions; however, decisions of the Supreme Court in appeals from Scotland are considered <a href="/wiki/Binding_precedent" class="mw-redirect" title="Binding precedent">binding precedent</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In <a href="/wiki/Criminal_law" title="Criminal law">criminal cases</a> the highest appellate court is the <a href="/wiki/Court_of_Justiciary" class="mw-redirect" title="Court of Justiciary">Court of Justiciary</a> and so the common law related to criminal law in Scotland has been largely developed only in Scotland.<sup id="cite_ref-The_Criminal_Courts_48-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-The_Criminal_Courts-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Rulings of the <a href="/wiki/European_Court_of_Human_Rights" title="European Court of Human Rights">European Court of Human Rights</a> and the Court of Justice of the European Union also contribute to the common law in the interpretation of the <a href="/wiki/European_Convention_on_Human_Rights" title="European Convention on Human Rights">European Convention on Human Rights</a> and <a href="/wiki/European_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European law">European law</a> respectively. </p><p>The common law of Scotland should not be confused with the <a href="/wiki/Common_law_of_England" class="mw-redirect" title="Common law of England">common law of England</a>, which has different historical roots.<sup id="cite_ref-StairSourceofLaw_50-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-StairSourceofLaw-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The historical roots of the common law of Scotland are the customary laws of the different cultures which inhabited the region, which were mixed together with <a href="/wiki/Feudal" class="mw-redirect" title="Feudal">feudal</a> concepts by the <a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_monarchs" title="List of Scottish monarchs">Scottish Kings</a> to form a distinct common law.<sup id="cite_ref-StairSourceofLaw_50-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-StairSourceofLaw-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The influence that English-trained judges have had on the common law of Scotland through rulings of the <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Supreme Court of the United Kingdom">Supreme Court of the United Kingdom</a> (and formerly the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Lords_Appellate_Committee" class="mw-redirect" title="House of Lords Appellate Committee">House of Lords</a>) has been at times considerable, especially in areas of law where conformity was required across the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> for pragmatic reasons. This has resulted in rulings with strained interpretations of the common law of Scotland, such as <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199798/ldjudgmt/jd970612/smit01.htm"><i>Smith v Bank of Scotland</i></a>.<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Institutional_writers">Institutional writers</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Institutional writers"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:James_Dalrymple,Viscount_of_Stair2.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/James_Dalrymple%2CViscount_of_Stair2.jpg/220px-James_Dalrymple%2CViscount_of_Stair2.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="270" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/James_Dalrymple%2CViscount_of_Stair2.jpg/330px-James_Dalrymple%2CViscount_of_Stair2.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/James_Dalrymple%2CViscount_of_Stair2.jpg/440px-James_Dalrymple%2CViscount_of_Stair2.jpg 2x" data-file-width="776" data-file-height="951" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/James_Dalrymple,_1st_Viscount_of_Stair" title="James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount of Stair">Sir James Dalrymple, Viscount of Stair</a></figcaption></figure> <p>A number of works by academic authors, called <i>institutional writers</i>, have been identified as formal sources of law in Scotland since at least the 19th century. The exact list of authors and works, and whether it can be added to, is a matter of controversy.<sup id="cite_ref-Stair_para_538_54-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Stair_para_538-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The generally accepted list<sup id="cite_ref-Stair_para_537_55-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Stair_para_537-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> of institutional works are: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_Craig_(poet)" class="mw-redirect" title="Thomas Craig (poet)">Sir Thomas Craig of Riccarton</a>'s<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i>Jus Feudale (1603)</i>;</li> <li><a href="/wiki/James_Dalrymple,_1st_Viscount_of_Stair" title="James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount of Stair">Sir James Dalrymple, Viscount of Stair</a>'s <i>Institutions of the law of Scotland (1681)</i>;</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bankton_House" title="Bankton House">Andrew MacDouall, Lord Bankton</a>'s <i>An Institute of the Laws of Scotland (1751–1753)</i>;</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Erskine_of_Carnock" title="John Erskine of Carnock">John Erskine of Carnock</a>'s <i>An Institute of the Law of Scotland (1773)</i>; and,</li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_Joseph_Bell" title="George Joseph Bell">George Joseph Bell</a>'s <i>Commentaries on the Law of Scotland and on the Principles of Mercantile Jurisprudence (1804)</i> and <i>Principles of the Law of Scotland (1829)</i>.</li></ul> <p>Some commentators<sup id="cite_ref-Stair_para_537_55-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Stair_para_537-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> would also consider the following works to be included: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/George_Mackenzie_(lawyer)" class="mw-redirect" title="George Mackenzie (lawyer)">Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh</a>'s <i>The Institutions of the Law of Scotland (1684)</i>;</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Erskine_of_Carnock" title="John Erskine of Carnock">John Erskine of Carnock</a>'s <i>Principles of the Law of Scotland (1754)</i>; and,</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Henry_Home,_Lord_Kames" title="Henry Home, Lord Kames">Henry Home, Lord Kames</a>' <i>Principles of Equity (1760)</i></li></ul> <p>The recognition of the authority of the institutional writers was gradual and developed with the significance in the 19th century of <i><a href="/wiki/Stare_decisis" class="mw-redirect" title="Stare decisis">stare decisis</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-Stair_para_538_54-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Stair_para_538-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The degree to which these works are authoritative is not exact. The view of <a href="/wiki/University_of_Edinburgh_School_of_Law" class="mw-redirect" title="University of Edinburgh School of Law">University of Edinburgh</a> Professor <a href="/wiki/Thomas_Smith_(barrister)" title="Thomas Smith (barrister)">Sir Thomas Smith</a> was, "the authority of an institutional writer is approximately equal to that of a decision by a Division of the Inner House of the Court of Session".<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Custom">Custom</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Custom"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/John_Erskine_of_Carnock" title="John Erskine of Carnock">John Erskine of Carnock</a>, an institutional writer, described <a href="/wiki/Legal_custom" class="mw-redirect" title="Legal custom">legal custom</a> as, "that which, without any express enactment by the supreme power, derives force from its tacit consent; which consent is presumed from the inveterate or immemorial usage of the community."<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Legal custom in Scotland today largely plays a historical role, as it has been gradually eroded by statute and the development of the institutional writers' authority in the 19th century.<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Some examples do persist in Scotland, such as the influence of <a href="/wiki/Udal_law" title="Udal law">Udal law</a> in <a href="/wiki/Orkney" title="Orkney">Orkney</a> and <a href="/wiki/Shetland" title="Shetland">Shetland</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, its importance is largely historic with the last court ruling to cite customary law being decided in 1890.<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Legal_institutions">Legal institutions</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Legal institutions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Government_of_Scotland">Government of Scotland</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Government of Scotland"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Government" title="Scottish Government">Scottish Government</a></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237032888/mw-parser-output/.tmulti">.mw-parser-output .tmulti .multiimageinner{display:flex;flex-direction:column}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow{display:flex;flex-direction:row;clear:left;flex-wrap:wrap;width:100%;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle{margin:1px;float:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .theader{clear:both;font-weight:bold;text-align:center;align-self:center;background-color:transparent;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .thumbcaption{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-left{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-right{text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .text-align-center{text-align:center}@media all and (max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .tmulti .thumbinner{width:100%!important;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:none!important;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow{justify-content:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle{float:none!important;max-width:100%!important;box-sizing:border-box;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .tsingle .thumbcaption{text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .tmulti .trow>.thumbcaption{text-align:center}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .tmulti .multiimageinner img{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .tmulti .multiimageinner img{background-color:white}}</style><div class="thumb tmulti tright"><div class="thumbinner multiimageinner" style="width:333px;max-width:333px"><div class="trow"><div class="tsingle" style="width:109px;max-width:109px"><div class="thumbimage" style="height:142px;overflow:hidden"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Official_Portrait_of_Dorothy_Bain_QC.png" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Official_Portrait_of_Dorothy_Bain_QC.png/107px-Official_Portrait_of_Dorothy_Bain_QC.png" decoding="async" width="107" height="143" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Official_Portrait_of_Dorothy_Bain_QC.png/161px-Official_Portrait_of_Dorothy_Bain_QC.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Official_Portrait_of_Dorothy_Bain_QC.png/214px-Official_Portrait_of_Dorothy_Bain_QC.png 2x" data-file-width="582" data-file-height="776" /></a></span></div><div class="thumbcaption text-align-center"><a href="/wiki/Dorothy_Bain" title="Dorothy Bain">Dorothy Bain</a> <a href="/wiki/King%27s_Counsel" title="King's Counsel">KC</a> <br /><a href="/wiki/Lord_Advocate" title="Lord Advocate">Lord Advocate</a><br />since 2021</div></div><div class="tsingle" style="width:109px;max-width:109px"><div class="thumbimage" style="height:142px;overflow:hidden"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Official_Portrait_of_Ruth_Charteris_QC.png" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Official_Portrait_of_Ruth_Charteris_QC.png/107px-Official_Portrait_of_Ruth_Charteris_QC.png" decoding="async" width="107" height="143" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Official_Portrait_of_Ruth_Charteris_QC.png/161px-Official_Portrait_of_Ruth_Charteris_QC.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Official_Portrait_of_Ruth_Charteris_QC.png/214px-Official_Portrait_of_Ruth_Charteris_QC.png 2x" data-file-width="570" data-file-height="760" /></a></span></div><div class="thumbcaption text-align-center"><a href="/wiki/Ruth_Charteris" title="Ruth Charteris">Ruth Charteris</a> <a href="/wiki/King%27s_Counsel" title="King's Counsel">KC</a> <br /><a href="/wiki/Solicitor_General_for_Scotland" title="Solicitor General for Scotland">Solicitor General for Scotland</a><br />since 2021</div></div><div class="tsingle" style="width:109px;max-width:109px"><div class="thumbimage" style="height:142px;overflow:hidden"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Official_portrait_of_justice_secretary_Angela_Constance.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Official_portrait_of_justice_secretary_Angela_Constance.jpg/107px-Official_portrait_of_justice_secretary_Angela_Constance.jpg" decoding="async" width="107" height="143" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Official_portrait_of_justice_secretary_Angela_Constance.jpg/161px-Official_portrait_of_justice_secretary_Angela_Constance.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Official_portrait_of_justice_secretary_Angela_Constance.jpg/214px-Official_portrait_of_justice_secretary_Angela_Constance.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4269" data-file-height="5691" /></a></span></div><div class="thumbcaption text-align-center"><a href="/wiki/Angela_Constance" title="Angela Constance">Angela Constance</a> <a href="/wiki/Members_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" class="mw-redirect" title="Members of the Scottish Parliament">MSP</a> <br /><a href="/wiki/Cabinet_Secretary_for_Justice_and_Home_Affairs" title="Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs">Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs</a><br />since 2023</div></div></div></div></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Government" title="Scottish Government">Scottish Government</a>, led by the <a href="/wiki/First_Minister_of_Scotland" title="First Minister of Scotland">First Minister</a>, is responsible for formulating policy and implementing laws passed by the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-62" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Scottish Parliament nominates one of its Members to be appointed as First Minister by the <a href="/wiki/Charles_III" title="Charles III">King</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-ScoGov_FAQ_63-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ScoGov_FAQ-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/First_Minister_of_Scotland" title="First Minister of Scotland">First Minister</a> is assisted by various Cabinet Secretaries with individual <a href="/wiki/Ministry_(government_department)" title="Ministry (government department)">portfolios</a> and remits, who are appointed by the <a href="/wiki/First_Minister_of_Scotland" title="First Minister of Scotland">First Minister</a> with the approval of Parliament. Ministers are similarly appointed to assist Cabinet Secretaries in their work. The Scottish Law Officers, (the <a href="/wiki/Lord_Advocate" title="Lord Advocate">Lord Advocate</a><sup id="cite_ref-64" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>64<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/Solicitor_General_for_Scotland" title="Solicitor General for Scotland">Solicitor General</a>)<sup id="cite_ref-ScoGov_FAQ_63-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ScoGov_FAQ-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> can be appointed from outside the Parliament's membership, but are subject to its approval. The First Minister, the Cabinet Secretaries, Ministers and the Scottish Law Officers are the Members of the Scottish Government. They are collectively known as the "Scottish Ministers". </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Government" title="Scottish Government">Scottish Government</a> has executive responsibility for the Scottish legal system, with functions exercised by the <a href="/wiki/Cabinet_Secretary_for_Justice_and_Home_Affairs" title="Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs">Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs</a>. The Justice Secretary has political responsibility for <a href="/wiki/Policing_in_the_United_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="Policing in the United Kingdom">policing</a>, law enforcement, the <a href="/wiki/Courts_of_Scotland" title="Courts of Scotland">courts of Scotland</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Prison_Service" title="Scottish Prison Service">Scottish Prison Service</a>, <a href="/wiki/Fire_service" class="mw-redirect" title="Fire service">fire services</a>, <a href="/wiki/Emergency_preparedness" class="mw-redirect" title="Emergency preparedness">civil emergencies</a> and <a href="/wiki/Civil_justice" class="mw-redirect" title="Civil justice">civil justice</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Legislature">Legislature</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Legislature"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Edinburgh_Scottish_Parliament01_2006-04-29.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="The Scottish Parliament" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Edinburgh_Scottish_Parliament01_2006-04-29.jpg/220px-Edinburgh_Scottish_Parliament01_2006-04-29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="163" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Edinburgh_Scottish_Parliament01_2006-04-29.jpg/330px-Edinburgh_Scottish_Parliament01_2006-04-29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Edinburgh_Scottish_Parliament01_2006-04-29.jpg/440px-Edinburgh_Scottish_Parliament01_2006-04-29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2610" data-file-height="1932" /></a><figcaption>The <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a> located in <a href="/wiki/Edinburgh" title="Edinburgh">Edinburgh</a> has <a href="/wiki/Devolution_in_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Devolution in Scotland">devolved powers</a> to legislate for Scotland.</figcaption></figure> <p>Many areas of Scots law are <a href="/wiki/Legislature" title="Legislature">legislated</a> for by the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a>, in matters <a href="/wiki/Devolution" title="Devolution">devolved</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Parliament of the United Kingdom">Parliament of the United Kingdom</a>. Areas of Scots law over which the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a> has competency include health, education, criminal justice, local government, environment and civil justice amongst others.<sup id="cite_ref-Sco_Parl_Devolution_6-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Sco_Parl_Devolution-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, certain powers are <a href="/wiki/Reserved_matters_(Westminster)" class="mw-redirect" title="Reserved matters (Westminster)">reserved</a> to Westminster including <a href="/wiki/Ministry_of_Defence_(United_Kingdom)" title="Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)">defence</a>, <a href="/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Foreign relations of the United Kingdom">international relations</a>, <a href="/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Economy of the United Kingdom">fiscal and economic policy</a>, <a href="/wiki/Prohibition_(drugs)" class="mw-redirect" title="Prohibition (drugs)">drugs law</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Media_of_the_United_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="Media of the United Kingdom">broadcasting</a>. The Scottish Parliament also has been granted limited tax raising powers. Although technically the Parliament of the United Kingdom retains full power to legislate for Scotland, under the <a href="/wiki/Sewel_convention" class="mw-redirect" title="Sewel convention">Sewel convention</a> it will not legislate on devolved matters without the agreement of the Scottish Parliament.<sup id="cite_ref-Bradley_22_36-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bradley_22-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Courts_of_Scotland">Courts of Scotland</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Courts of Scotland"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Courts_of_Scotland" title="Courts of Scotland">Courts of Scotland</a></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Scottish_Courts_and_Tribunals_Service">Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>All Scottish courts, except for the <a href="/wiki/Court_of_the_Lord_Lyon" title="Court of the Lord Lyon">Court of the Lord Lyon</a>, are administered by the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Courts_and_Tribunals_Service" title="Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service">Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service</a>. The Courts and Tribunals service is a <a href="/wiki/Non-ministerial_government_department" title="Non-ministerial government department">non-ministerial government department</a> with a corporate board chaired by the <a href="/wiki/Lord_President_of_the_Court_of_Session" title="Lord President of the Court of Session">Lord President of the Court of Session</a> (the head of the <a href="/wiki/Judiciary_of_Scotland" title="Judiciary of Scotland">judiciary of Scotland</a>.)<sup id="cite_ref-act2008_65-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-act2008-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page / location: Section 60">: Section 60 </span></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Criminal_courts">Criminal courts</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Criminal courts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="Justice_of_the_peace_courts">Justice of the peace courts</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Justice of the peace courts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Less serious criminal offences which can be dealt with under <a href="/wiki/Summary_offence" title="Summary offence">summary procedure</a> are handled by local <a href="/wiki/Justice_of_the_Peace_Court" class="mw-redirect" title="Justice of the Peace Court">Justice of the Peace Courts</a>. The maximum penalty which a normal Justice of the Peace can impose is 60 days imprisonment or a fine not exceeding £2,500.<sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>66<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="Sheriff_courts">Sheriff courts</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Sheriff courts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Court" class="mw-redirect" title="Sheriff Court">Sheriff Courts</a> act as district criminal courts, organised by <a href="/wiki/Sheriffdom" title="Sheriffdom">sheriffdom</a>, and deal with cases under both <a href="/wiki/Summary_offence" title="Summary offence">summary</a> and <a href="/wiki/Indictable_offence" title="Indictable offence">solemn procedure</a>. Cases can be heard either before a Summary Sheriff, a Sheriff, or a Sheriff and a jury. The maximum penalty which the Sheriff Court can impose, where heard just by a Sheriff or Summary Sheriff, is 12 months imprisonment or a fine not exceeding £10,000. A case before a Sheriff and jury can result in up to 5 years imprisonment or an unlimited fine.<sup id="cite_ref-CAB_Courts_67-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CAB_Courts-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>67<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Appeals against <a href="/wiki/Conviction" title="Conviction">summary convictions</a> and <a href="/wiki/Sentence_(law)" title="Sentence (law)">summary sentences</a> are heard by the <a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Appeal_Court" title="Sheriff Appeal Court">Sheriff Appeal Court</a>, and decisions of the Sheriff Appeal Court can only be appealed with leave to the <a href="/wiki/High_Court_of_Justiciary" title="High Court of Justiciary">High Court of Justiciary</a> and then only on <a href="/wiki/Question_of_law" title="Question of law">questions of law</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-appealsheriffs_68-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-appealsheriffs-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>68<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-criminaljustice_69-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-criminaljustice-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>69<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-act2014_70-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-act2014-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>70<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page / location: Sections 118–119">: Sections 118–119 </span></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="High_Court_of_Justiciary">High Court of Justiciary</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: High Court of Justiciary"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:High_Court_of_Justiciary.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/High_Court_of_Justiciary.jpg/190px-High_Court_of_Justiciary.jpg" decoding="async" width="190" height="253" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/High_Court_of_Justiciary.jpg/285px-High_Court_of_Justiciary.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/High_Court_of_Justiciary.jpg/380px-High_Court_of_Justiciary.jpg 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="800" /></a><figcaption>High Court of Justiciary, located in Edinburgh</figcaption></figure> <p>More serious crimes, and appeals from solemn proceedings in the Sheriff Courts, are heard by the <a href="/wiki/High_Court_of_Justiciary" title="High Court of Justiciary">High Court of Justiciary</a>. There is no appeal available in criminal cases to the <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Supreme Court of the United Kingdom">Supreme Court of the United Kingdom</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-CAB_Courts_67-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CAB_Courts-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>67<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> with respect to points of criminal law. Cases where the accused alleges a breach of the <a href="/wiki/European_Convention_on_Human_Rights" title="European Convention on Human Rights">European Convention on Human Rights</a> or <a href="/wiki/European_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European law">European law</a> can also be referred or appealed to the UK Supreme Court for a ruling on the relevant alleged breach. In these cases the UK Supreme Court is the successor to the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Lords" title="House of Lords">House of Lords</a> as the highest civil court having taken over the judicial functions of the House of Lords and the <a href="/wiki/Privy_Council" class="mw-redirect" title="Privy Council">Privy Council</a> from 2009. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Civil_courts">Civil courts</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Civil courts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="Sheriff_courts_2">Sheriff courts</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Sheriff courts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Court" class="mw-redirect" title="Sheriff Court">Sheriff Courts</a> also act as district civil courts with <a href="/wiki/Exclusive_jurisdiction" title="Exclusive jurisdiction">exclusive jurisdiction</a> over all cases worth not more than <a href="/wiki/Pound_sterling" title="Pound sterling">£</a>100,000, unless they are particularly complicated or of significant importance.<sup id="cite_ref-sheltersmallclaims_71-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sheltersmallclaims-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>71<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Shelter_OC_Rules_72-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Shelter_OC_Rules-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-bto_73-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bto-73"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>73<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Personal injury actions may also be heard at the specialist all-Scotland <a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Personal_Injury_Court" title="Sheriff Personal Injury Court">Sheriff Personal Injury Court</a>, which has the power to hear cases before a <a href="/wiki/Jury_trial" title="Jury trial">jury</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-injurysheriffs_74-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-injurysheriffs-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>74<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Decisions of a Sheriff Court are appealed to the <a href="/wiki/Sheriff_Appeal_Court" title="Sheriff Appeal Court">Sheriff Appeal Court</a>. Further appeals are possible to the <a href="/wiki/Inner_House" title="Inner House">Inner House</a> of the Court of Session, but only with the permission of either the Sheriff Appeal Court, or the Court of Session. Such appeals are granted if there is an important point of principle, or other compelling reason. Appeals may finally be taken to the <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Supreme Court of the United Kingdom">Supreme Court of the United Kingdom</a>, but only with the leave of either the Inner House or the Supreme Court itself, and it relates to a general point of <a href="/wiki/Public_interest" title="Public interest">public interest</a> in the law.<sup id="cite_ref-act2014_70-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-act2014-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>70<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page / location: Sections 109–111, 113, 117">: Sections 109–111, 113, 117 </span></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading5"><h5 id="Court_of_Session">Court of Session</h5><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Court of Session"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Complicated or high-value cases can be heard at <a href="/wiki/First_instance" class="mw-redirect" title="First instance">first instance</a> by the <a href="/wiki/Outer_House" title="Outer House">Outer House</a> of the Court of Session, with the Court of Session having <a href="/wiki/Concurrent_jurisdiction" title="Concurrent jurisdiction">concurrent jurisdiction</a> for all cases with a monetary value of more than <a href="/wiki/Pound_sterling" title="Pound sterling">£</a>100,000.<sup id="cite_ref-Shelter_OC_Rules_72-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Shelter_OC_Rules-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Decisions of the Outer House are appealed to the Inner House of the Court of Session, and (where allowed by the Inner House, or in matters relative to Devolution) then to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. </p><p>Scottish courts may make <a href="/wiki/European_Court_of_Justice#References_for_a_preliminary_ruling" title="European Court of Justice">a reference for a preliminary ruling</a> to the Court of Justice of the European Union in cases involving <a href="/wiki/European_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European law">European law</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-75" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-75"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>75<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Specialist_courts">Specialist courts</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Specialist courts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>There are also a number of specialist courts and tribunals that have been created to hear specific types of disputes. These include <a href="/wiki/Children%27s_Hearings" class="mw-redirect" title="Children's Hearings">Children's Hearings</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Lands_Tribunal_for_Scotland" title="Lands Tribunal for Scotland">Lands Tribunal for Scotland</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Land_Court" title="Scottish Land Court">Scottish Land Court</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Court_of_the_Lord_Lyon" title="Court of the Lord Lyon">Court of the Lord Lyon</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Employment_Appeal_Tribunal" title="Employment Appeal Tribunal">Employment Appeal Tribunal</a> is also an example of a cross-jurisdictional tribunal. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Judiciary_of_Scotland">Judiciary of Scotland</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Judiciary of Scotland"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Scotland has several classes of <a href="/wiki/Judge" title="Judge">judge</a> who sit in the various courts of Scotland, and led by the <a href="/wiki/Lord_President_of_the_Court_of_Session" title="Lord President of the Court of Session">Lord President of the Court of Session</a> who is head of the Scottish judiciary by virtue of Section 2 of the <a href="/wiki/Judiciary_and_Courts_(Scotland)_Act_2008" title="Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008">Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-act2008_65-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-act2008-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page / location: Section 2">: Section 2 </span></sup> The second most senior judge is the <a href="/wiki/Lord_Justice_Clerk" title="Lord Justice Clerk">Lord Justice Clerk</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-act2008_65-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-act2008-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page / location: Section 5">: Section 5 </span></sup> and together with the <a href="/wiki/Senators_of_the_College_of_Justice" class="mw-redirect" title="Senators of the College of Justice">Senators</a> they constitute the <a href="/wiki/College_of_Justice" title="College of Justice">College of Justice</a>. The Senators are referred to as <i>Lords of Council and Session</i> when sitting in civil cases, and <i>Lords Commissioners of Justiciary</i> when sitting in criminal cases.<sup id="cite_ref-senatorprofile_76-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-senatorprofile-76"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>76<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The sheriff courts are presided over by the <a href="/wiki/Sheriff_principal" title="Sheriff principal">Sheriffs Principal</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sheriff_court" title="Sheriff court">Sheriffs</a>, and Summary Sheriffs. They will preside over both civil and criminal cases.<sup id="cite_ref-profileprincipal_77-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-profileprincipal-77"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-sheriffs_78-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sheriffs-78"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>78<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-summarysheriffs_79-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-summarysheriffs-79"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>79<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The most junior judges are the <a href="/wiki/Justice_of_the_peace" title="Justice of the peace">justices of the peace</a> who preside over minor criminal matters in the <a href="/wiki/Justice_of_the_Peace_Court" class="mw-redirect" title="Justice of the Peace Court">Justice of the Peace Courts</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-jppowers_80-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-jppowers-80"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>80<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Legal_profession">Legal profession</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Legal profession"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Scottish <a href="/wiki/Legal_profession" title="Legal profession">legal profession</a> has two main branches, <a href="/wiki/Advocates" class="mw-redirect" title="Advocates">advocates</a> and <a href="/wiki/Solicitors" class="mw-redirect" title="Solicitors">solicitors</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-81" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-81"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>81<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Advocates, the equivalent of the English <a href="/wiki/Barrister" title="Barrister">barristers</a>, belong to the <a href="/wiki/Faculty_of_Advocates" title="Faculty of Advocates">Faculty of Advocates</a> which distinguishes between junior counsel and senior counsel, the latter being designated <a href="/wiki/King%27s_Counsel" title="King's Counsel">King's or Queen's Counsel</a>. Advocates specialise in presenting cases before <a href="/wiki/Scottish_courts" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish courts">courts</a> and <a href="/wiki/Tribunal" title="Tribunal">tribunals</a>, with near-exclusive rights of audience, and in giving legal opinions. They usually receive instructions indirectly from clients through solicitors, though in many circumstances they can be instructed directly by members of certain professional associations.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (April 2017)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Solicitors" class="mw-redirect" title="Solicitors">Solicitors</a> are members of the <a href="/wiki/Law_Society_of_Scotland" title="Law Society of Scotland">Law Society of Scotland</a> and deal directly with their clients in all sorts of legal affairs. In the majority of cases they present their client's case to the court, and while traditionally they did not have the right to appear before the higher courts, since 1992 they have been able to apply for extended rights, becoming known as <a href="/wiki/Solicitor_advocates" class="mw-redirect" title="Solicitor advocates">solicitor advocates</a>. <a href="/wiki/Notary_public_(Scotland)" class="mw-redirect" title="Notary public (Scotland)">Notaries public</a>, unlike <a href="/wiki/Civil_law_notary" title="Civil law notary">their continental equivalent</a>, are not members of a separate profession; they must be solicitors, and most solicitors are also notaries.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (April 2017)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_legal_cases" title="List of Scottish legal cases">List of Scottish legal cases</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Palmer, p. 201</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Tetley, Part I</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Thomson, pp.51-91</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Stair_juris-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Stair_juris_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Stair_juris_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Stair, General Legal Concepts (Reissue), para. 4 (Online) Retrieved 2011-11-29</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Sch_5_Scotland_Act_1998-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Sch_5_Scotland_Act_1998_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Sch_5_Scotland_Act_1998_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Sch. 5 Scotland Act 1998</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Sco_Parl_Devolution-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Sco_Parl_Devolution_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Sco_Parl_Devolution_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Sco_Parl_Devolution_6-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Sco_Parl_Devolution_6-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/visitandlearn/25488.aspx">Devolved and reserved matters explained</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120717151735/http://scottish.parliament.uk/visitandlearn/25488.aspx">Archived</a> 2012-07-17 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>, <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Scottish Parliament</a>, Retrieved 2011-10-22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-55396311">"MSPs pass Brexit bill to 'keep pace' with EU laws"</a>. <i>BBC News</i>. 23 December 2020<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">26 December</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=BBC+News&rft.atitle=MSPs+pass+Brexit+bill+to+%27keep+pace%27+with+EU+laws&rft.date=2020-12-23&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuk-scotland-scotland-politics-55396311&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AScots+law" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Gretton & Steven, p. 318</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Davidson, p. 2</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Davidson, p. 56</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1991/Ukpga_19910050_en_2.htm#mdiv1">Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991 (c. 50)</a>, opsi.gov.uk</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070325150840/http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/so/youthchron/CivilFamilyLaw/9197civfamlaw.htm">"Under Scots Law (in contrast to the law in E&W), young people have full (or 'active') legal capacity at 16 years"</a>. <a href="/wiki/Keele_University" title="Keele University">Keele University</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/so/youthchron/CivilFamilyLaw/9197civfamlaw.htm">the original</a> on 25 March 2007.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Under+Scots+Law+%28in+contrast+to+the+law+in+E%26W%29%2C+young+people+have+full+%28or+%27active%27%29+legal+capacity+at+16+years&rft.pub=Keele+University&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.keele.ac.uk%2Fdepts%2Fso%2Fyouthchron%2FCivilFamilyLaw%2F9197civfamlaw.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AScots+law" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Stair, vol. 22, para. 399: <i>"Equity in Scots law. As will appear, the historical place of equity in the development of Scots law is no mere replication of the English position. No separate equity court appeared in Scotland. The Scottish commentators were given to searching for parallels to contemporary Scottish arrangements in the texts of Roman law. 'Equity' does not obviously exist as a distinct branch of law at the present day. Nevertheless, the status of equity as a source of law is nowadays much the same in Scotland as it is in England and Wales."</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Jones,_T.H_2008-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Jones,_T.H_2008_14-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Jones,_T.H_2008_14-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Jones, p. 46</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Jones, p. 47</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-In3V-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-In3V_16-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBray2005" class="citation journal cs1">Bray, Samuel (2005). "Not Proven: Introducing a Third Verdict". <i>University of Chicago Law Review</i>. <b>72</b> (4): 1299–1329. <a href="/wiki/SSRN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="SSRN (identifier)">SSRN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1339222">1339222</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=University+of+Chicago+Law+Review&rft.atitle=Not+Proven%3A+Introducing+a+Third+Verdict&rft.volume=72&rft.issue=4&rft.pages=1299-1329&rft.date=2005&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fpapers.ssrn.com%2Fsol3%2Fpapers.cfm%3Fabstract_id%3D1339222%23id-name%3DSSRN&rft.aulast=Bray&rft.aufirst=Samuel&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AScots+law" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.copfs.gov.uk/services/bereavement-support/guide-to-fatal-accident-inquiries/">https://www.copfs.gov.uk/services/bereavement-support/guide-to-fatal-accident-inquiries/</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/guides/scottishlegalhistory.cfm">Scottish Legal History: A Research Guide</a>, Georgetown Law Library, Retrieved 2011-10-22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Stair, vol. 22, para. 504 (Online) Retrieved 2011-10-26</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Reid, <i>I. Introduction and Property</i>, p. 15</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Reid, <i>I. Introduction and Property</i>, p. 16</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Stair, vol. 22, para. 505 (Online) Retrieved 2011-10-26</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Reid, <i>I. Introduction and Property</i>, p. 20</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Reid_38-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Reid_38_24-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Reid_38_24-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Reid, <i>I. Introduction and Property</i>, p. 38</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rps.ac.uk/search.php?a=fcf&fn=robertiii_ms&id=id839&t=ms">Legislation - Records of the Parliaments of Scotland</a>, 1399/1/13. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rps.ac.uk/search.php?action=fetch_jump&filename=robertiii_trans&jump=robertiii_m1399_1_1_d6_ms&type=trans&fragment=t1399_1_13_d6_trans">Translation</a>: "Item, it is ordained that each year the king shall hold a parliament so that his subjects are served by the law, which shall begin on the morning after All Hallows' day [2 November], for the next three years."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Reid, <i>I. Introduction and Property</i>, p. 40</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Stair, vol. 22, para. 512 (Online) Retrieved 2011-10-26</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-28">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Reid, <i>I. Introduction and Property</i>, p. 46</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-29">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Reid, <i>I. Introduction and Property</i>, p. 52</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Reid, <i>I. Introduction and Property</i>, p. 54</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-31">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Stair, vol. 22, para. 515 (Online) Retrieved 2011-10-26</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-32">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Act_of_Union_1707" class="extiw" title="s:Act of Union 1707">Act of Union 1707</a>, Wikisource</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-33">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8283961.stm">Profiles: UK Supreme Justices</a>, BBC News, 30 September 2009</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-34">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Robinson, Fergus and Gordon, <i>European Legal History</i>, 3rd Edition, OUP, 2000 chapter 14</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-35">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/Devolvedgovernment/DG_073306">Devolved government in the UK</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20111103083356/http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/Devolvedgovernment/DG_073306">Archived</a> 2011-11-03 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>, <a href="/wiki/Directgov" title="Directgov">Directgov</a>, Retrieved 2011-10-22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bradley_22-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bradley_22_36-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bradley_22_36-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Bradley & Ewing, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=HT_GS2zgN5QC&dq=private+law+public+law+Scotland&pg=PA22">p. 22</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=HT_GS2zgN5QC&dq=private+law+public+law+Scotland&pg=PA64">p. 64</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-37">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Bradley & Ewing, p. 15</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-38">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/passage-bill/lords/lrds-royal-assent/">Royal Assent</a>, <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Parliament of the United Kingdom">Parliament of the United Kingdom</a>, Retrieved 2011-10-22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-39">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/sovereignty/">Parliamentary Sovereignty</a>, <a href="/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Parliament of the United Kingdom">Parliament of the United Kingdom</a>, Retrieved 2011-10-22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-40">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Wagner, Adam. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theguardian.com/law/2011/jan/27/supreme-court-parliamentary-sovereignty">Does parliamentary sovereignty still reign supreme?</a>, <a href="/wiki/The_Guardian" title="The Guardian">The Guardian</a>, 27 January 2011</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-41">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/6198513/EU-is-Britain-still-a-sovereign-state.html">EU: Is Britain still a sovereign state?</a>, <a href="/wiki/The_Daily_Telegraph" title="The Daily Telegraph">The Daily Telegraph</a>, 17 September 2009</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-42">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Boyle, pp. 309, 311</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-43">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://ec.europa.eu/civiljustice/legal_order/legal_order_sco_en.htm">Legal order -Scotland</a>, <a href="/wiki/European_Commission" title="European Commission">European Commission</a>, Retrieved 2011-10-22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-44">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Scott, Kirsty. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/aug/01/hunting.immigrationpolicy">Fox hunting group fails to overturn Scottish ban</a>, <a href="/wiki/The_Guardian" title="The Guardian">The Guardian</a>, 1 August 2002</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-45">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=398268&section=6.7">Royal Assent</a>, The Open University, Retrieved 2011-10-22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-46">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">For an example see <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/search-judgments/judgment?id=c2928aa6-8980-69d2-b500-ff0000d74aa7">The Advice Centre for Mortgages Limited v Frances McNicoll [2006] CSOH 58</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a 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Edinburgh University Press, 1989. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7486-0104-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7486-0104-2">978-0-7486-0104-2</a></li> <li>Boyle, Alan; Himsworth, Chris; <a href="/wiki/Hector_MacQueen" title="Hector MacQueen">MacQueen, Hector</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=SZSSuFFsD_QC&dq=Scottish+Parliament+legislation+must+comply+with+human+rights&pg=PA309"><i>Human Rights and Scots Law: Comparative Perspectives on the Incorporation of the ECHR</i></a>. Hart Publishing, 2002. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84113-044-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84113-044-6">978-1-84113-044-6</a></li> <li>Bradley, Anthony Wilfred; Ewing, Keith D. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=HT_GS2zgN5QC&dq=private+law+public+law+Scotland&pg=PA671"><i>Constitutional and Administrative Law</i></a>. Pearson Education, 2007. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4058-1207-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-4058-1207-8">978-1-4058-1207-8</a></li> <li>Davidson, Fraser; MacGregor, Laura. <i>Commercial Law in Scotland</i>. W. Green & Son, 2008. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-414-01610-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-414-01610-1">978-0-414-01610-1</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Erskine_of_Carnock" title="John Erskine of Carnock">John Erskine</a>, <i>An Institute of the Law of Scotland</i>. 1773 (8th edn. 1871).</li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_Gretton" title="George Gretton">Gretton, George</a>; Steven, Andrew. <i>Property, Trusts and Successions</i>. Tottel Publishing, 2009. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84592-153-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84592-153-8">978-1-84592-153-8</a></li> <li>Jones, Timothy; Christie, Michael. <i>Criminal Law</i>. W. Green & Son, 2008. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-414-01683-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-414-01683-5">978-0-414-01683-5</a></li> <li>Palmer, Veron. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=WP-qOJ9bezoC&dq=institutional+writers+scots+law+source&pg=PA215"><i>Mixed jurisdictions worldwide: the third legal family</i></a>. Cambridge University Press, 2001. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-78154-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-521-78154-1">978-0-521-78154-1</a></li> <li>Reid, Kenneth; Zimmerman, Reinhard. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=mPGAcjrar4oC&dq=Introduction+to+Scots+law&pg=PA14"><i>A History of Private Law in Scotland: I. Introduction and Property</i></a>. Oxford University Press, 2000. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-829941-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-19-829941-9">0-19-829941-9</a></li> <li>Reid, Kenneth; Zimmerman, Reinhard. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=nb5a-IWxAkgC&q=private+law+in+Scotland"><i>A History of Private Law in Scotland: II. Obligations</i></a>. Oxford University Press, 2000. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-829941-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-19-829941-9">0-19-829941-9</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_Smith_(barrister)" title="Thomas Smith (barrister)">Smith, Thomas</a>. <i>A Short Commentary on the Law of Scotland</i>. Green & Son Ltd, 1962.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stair_Memorial_Encyclopaedia" title="Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia"><i>The Laws of Scotland: Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia</i></a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/legal/">Lexis Library</a>.</li> <li>Tetley, William Q.C. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120121185407/http://www.mcgill.ca/maritimelaw/comparative/mixedjur-1"><i>Mixed Jurisdictions: common law vs. civil law (codified and uncodified)</i></a>. 4 Uniform L. rev. (N.S.), 1999.</li> <li>Thomson, Stephen, '<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://digitalcommons.law.lsu.edu/jcls/vol7/iss1/3/">Mixed Jurisdiction and the Scottish Legal Tradition: Reconsidering the Concept of Mixture</a>', <i><a href="/wiki/Journal_of_Civil_Law_Studies" title="Journal of Civil Law Studies">Journal of Civil Law Studies</a></i>, vol. 7, no. 1 (2014): 51-91</li> <li>White, Robin; Willock, Ian. <i>The Scottish Legal System</i>, 4th edn. Haywards Heath, West Sussex: Tottel Publishing, 2007 (6th edn. 2019). <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-406-00571-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-406-00571-7">978-0-406-00571-7</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Christina Ashton. <i>Understanding Scots law: an introduction to Scots law, procedure and legal skills</i>, 2nd edn. Edinburgh: Thomson/W. Green, 2012.</li> <li>Sean Crossan. <i>Introductory Scots law: Theory and practice</i>, 3rd edn. London: Hodder Education Group, 2016.</li> <li>Gerard Keegan. <i>Scottish legal system essentials</i>, 4th edn. Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 2021.</li> <li>Hector L. MacQueen & Ronald D. Mackay, eds. <i>The law of Scotland</i>, 14th edn. 2 vols. Orig. by W. M. Gloag & R. Candish Henderson. Edinburgh: W. Green, 2017.</li> <li>Enid A. Marshall. <i>General principles of Scots law</i>, 7th edn. Edinburgh: W. Green/Sweet & Maxwell, 1999.</li> <li>Dale McFadzean, ed. <i>An introduction to law and legal obligations</i>, 2nd edn. Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 2012.</li> <li>Dale McFadzean. <i>Scots law for students: an introduction</i>. Dundee: Dundee UP, 2007.</li> <li>David M. Walker. <i>The Scottish legal system: an introduction to the study of Scots law</i>, 8th edn. Edinburgh: W. Green/Sweet & Maxwell, 2001.</li></ul> <dl><dt>branches</dt></dl> <ul><li>Craig Anderson. <i>Property: A guide to Scots law</i>. Edinburgh: W. Green, 2016.</li> <li>Gillian Black. <i>Business law in Scotland</i>. Edinburgh: W. Green, 2008.</li> <li>Iain G MacNeill, ed. <i>Scots commercial law</i>. Edinburgh: Avizandum Publishing, 2020.</li> <li>Sam Middlemiss & Margaret Downie. <i>Employment law in Scotland</i>. London: Bloomsbury Professional, 2020.</li> <li>Brian Pillans. <i>Delict: law and policy</i>. Edinburgh: W. Green, 2014.</li> <li>Elspeth Christie Reid. <i>The law of delict in Scotland</i>. Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 2022.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Scots_law&action=edit&section=28" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk">"Scottish Court Service"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Scottish+Court+Service&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.scotcourts.gov.uk&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AScots+law" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" 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class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">devolved bodies</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_parliament" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish parliament">Scottish parliament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_Governments" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Scottish Governments">(list)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First_Minister_of_Scotland" title="First Minister of Scotland">first minister</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_First_Ministers_of_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="List of First Ministers of Scotland">(list)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Commissions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">UK Parliament commissions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Commission_on_the_Constitution_(United_Kingdom)" title="Royal Commission on the Constitution (United Kingdom)">Kilbrandon Commission</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Scottish parliament commissions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Commission_on_Scottish_Devolution" title="Commission on Scottish Devolution">Calman Commission</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Smith_Commission" title="Smith Commission">Smith Commission</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Devolution legislation</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" 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navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Barnett_formula" title="Barnett formula">Barnett formula</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Block_grant" title="Block grant">Block grant</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Taxation_in_Scotland" title="Taxation in Scotland">Taxation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Constitution_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Constitution of the United Kingdom">Constitution of the United Kingdom</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Proposed</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Full_fiscal_autonomy_for_Scotland_and_Wales" title="Full fiscal autonomy for Scotland and Wales">Devo-max</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_devolution#Proposed_further_devolution" title="Scottish devolution">Further devolution</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Proposed alternatives to devolution</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Federalism_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Federalism in the United Kingdom">Federalism in the United Kingdom</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proposed_United_Kingdom_Confederation" class="mw-redirect" title="Proposed United Kingdom Confederation">Proposed United Kingdom Confederation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_independence" title="Scottish independence">Scottish independence</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div><b><span class="nowrap"><span class="mw-image-border noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="flag" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/32px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png" decoding="async" width="32" height="19" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/48px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/64px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Portal:Scotland" title="Portal:Scotland">Scotland portal</a></b></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r886047488">.mw-parser-output .nobold{font-weight:normal}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Scotland_articles" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Scotland_topics" title="Template:Scotland topics"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Scotland_topics" title="Template talk:Scotland topics"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Scotland_topics" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Scotland topics"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Scotland_articles" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Scotland" title="Scotland">Scotland</a> articles</div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Outline_of_Scotland" title="Outline of Scotland">Outline of Scotland</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/History_of_Scotland" title="History of Scotland">History</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_Scottish_history" title="Timeline of Scottish history">Timeline</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Prehistoric_Scotland" title="Prehistoric Scotland">Prehistoric</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_during_the_Roman_Empire" title="Scotland during the Roman Empire">Roman times</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_Middle_Ages" title="Scotland in the Middle Ages">Middle Ages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_Early_Middle_Ages" title="Scotland in the Early Middle Ages">Early Middle Ages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Scotland" title="Kingdom of Scotland">Kingdom</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_High_Middle_Ages" title="Scotland in the High Middle Ages">High Middle Ages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Davidian_Revolution" title="Davidian Revolution">Davidian Revolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wars_of_Scottish_Independence" title="Wars of Scottish Independence">Wars of Independence</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_Late_Middle_Ages" title="Scotland in the Late Middle Ages">Late Middle Ages</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Renaissance_in_Scotland" title="Renaissance in Scotland">Renaissance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_early_modern_period" title="Scotland in the early modern period">Early modern</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Reformation" title="Scottish Reformation">Reformation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_colonization_of_the_Americas" title="Scottish colonization of the Americas">Colonisation of the Americas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glorious_Revolution_in_Scotland" title="Glorious Revolution in Scotland">Glorious Revolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Union" title="Treaty of Union">Treaty of Union</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Acts_of_Union_1707" title="Acts of Union 1707">1707 Acts of Union</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jacobitism" title="Jacobitism">Jacobitism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Enlightenment" title="Scottish Enlightenment">Enlightenment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lowland_Clearances" title="Lowland Clearances">Lowland Clearances</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Highland_Clearances" title="Highland Clearances">Highland Clearances</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Industrial_Revolution_in_Scotland" title="Industrial Revolution in Scotland">Industrial Revolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romanticism_in_Scotland" title="Romanticism in Scotland">Romanticism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_in_the_modern_era" title="Scotland in the modern era">Modern</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Geography_of_Scotland" title="Geography of Scotland">Geography</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anglo-Scottish_border" title="Anglo-Scottish border">Anglo-Scottish border</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Central_Belt" title="Central Belt">Central Belt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Climate_of_Scotland" title="Climate of Scotland">Climate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Conservation_in_Scotland" title="Conservation in Scotland">Conservation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fauna_of_Scotland" title="Fauna of Scotland">Fauna</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flora_of_Scotland" title="Flora of Scotland">Flora</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Geology_of_Scotland" title="Geology of Scotland">Geology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Highlands" title="Scottish Highlands">Highlands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_islands_of_Scotland" title="List of islands of Scotland">Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_lochs_of_Scotland" title="List of lochs of Scotland">Lochs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Lowlands" title="Scottish Lowlands">Lowlands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mountains_and_hills_of_Scotland" title="Mountains and hills of Scotland">Mountains and hills</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_highest_mountains_in_Scotland" title="List of highest mountains in Scotland">Highest</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Protected_areas_of_Scotland" title="Protected areas of Scotland">Protected areas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_waterfalls_in_Scotland" title="List of waterfalls in Scotland">Waterfalls</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_valleys_of_Scotland" title="List of valleys of Scotland">Glens</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_ecoregions_in_Scotland" title="List of ecoregions in Scotland">Ecoregions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_biosphere_reserves_in_Scotland" title="List of biosphere reserves in Scotland">Biosphere reserves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Environment_of_Scotland" title="Environment of Scotland">Environment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Municipalities_of_Scotland" title="Municipalities of Scotland">Municipalities</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Munro_mountains" title="List of Munro mountains">Munro</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Politics_of_Scotland" title="Politics of Scotland">Politics</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0.5em;font-weight:normal;"><a href="/wiki/Government_of_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Government of Scotland">Government</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0.5em;font-weight:normal;"><a href="/wiki/Politics_of_Scotland" title="Politics of Scotland">Politics</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Government" title="Scottish Government">Government</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_governments" title="List of Scottish governments">List of governments</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/International_relations_of_Scotland" title="International relations of Scotland">International relations</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_devolution" title="Scottish devolution">Devolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Scotland" title="Elections in Scotland">Elections</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Electoral_system_of_Scotland" title="Electoral system of Scotland">Electoral system</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First_Minister_of_Scotland" title="First Minister of Scotland">First Minister</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Keeper_of_the_Great_Seal_of_Scotland" title="Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland">Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Deputy_First_Minister_of_Scotland" title="Deputy First Minister of Scotland">Deputy First Minister</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Great_Seal_of_Scotland" title="Great Seal of Scotland">Great Seal of Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Human_rights_in_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Human rights in Scotland">Human rights</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="LGBT rights in Scotland">LGBT rights</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_independence" title="Scottish independence">Independence</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Local_government_in_Scotland" title="Local government in Scotland">Local government</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/History_of_local_government_in_Scotland" title="History of local government in Scotland">History</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cities_of_Scotland" title="Cities of Scotland">Cities</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Armed_forces_in_Scotland" title="Armed forces in Scotland">Armed forces</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_Scotland" title="Military history of Scotland">Military history</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_monarchs" title="List of Scottish monarchs">Monarchs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lists_of_MPs_for_constituencies_in_Scotland" title="Lists of MPs for constituencies in Scotland">Members of Parliament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Parliament" title="Scottish Parliament">Parliament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Member_of_the_Scottish_Parliament" title="Member of the Scottish Parliament">Member of the Scottish Parliament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Scotland" title="List of political parties in Scotland">Political parties</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_republicanism" title="Scottish republicanism">Republicanism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotland_Office" title="Scotland Office">Scotland Office</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Secretary_of_State_for_Scotland" title="Secretary of State for Scotland">Secretary of State</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_nationalism" title="Scottish nationalism">Nationalism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unionism_in_Scotland" title="Unionism in Scotland">Unionism</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0.5em;font-weight:normal;"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Law</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Advocate_General_for_Scotland" title="Advocate General for Scotland">Advocate General</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Courts_of_Scotland" title="Courts of Scotland">Courts</a> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_courts_in_Scotland" title="List of courts in Scotland">List</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Supreme_Courts_of_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Supreme Courts of Scotland">Supreme Courts of Scotland</a> (<a href="/wiki/Court_of_Session" title="Court of Session">Court of Session</a>, <a href="/wiki/High_Court_of_Justiciary" title="High Court of Justiciary">High Court of Justiciary</a>, <a href="/wiki/Office_of_the_Accountant_of_Court" title="Office of the Accountant of Court">Office of the Accountant of Court</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crown_Office_and_Procurator_Fiscal_Service" title="Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service">Crown Office</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lord_Advocate" title="Lord Advocate">Lord Advocate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lord_President_of_the_Court_of_Session" title="Lord President of the Court of Session">Lord President</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Procurator_fiscal" title="Procurator fiscal">Procurator fiscal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Solicitor_General_for_Scotland" title="Solicitor General for Scotland">Solicitor General</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sheriff_principal" title="Sheriff principal">Sheriff principal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/College_of_Justice" title="College of Justice">College of Justice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scots_property_law" title="Scots property law">Scots property law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Udal_law" title="Udal law">Udal law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Prison_population_of_Scotland" title="Prison population of Scotland">Prison population</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Police_Scotland" title="Police Scotland">Police Scotland</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Economy_of_Scotland" title="Economy of Scotland">Economy</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Agriculture_in_Scotland" title="Agriculture in Scotland">Agriculture</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bank_of_Scotland" title="Bank of Scotland">Bank of Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charities_in_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Charities in Scotland">Charities</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_companies_of_Scotland" title="List of companies of Scotland">Companies</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fishing_industry_in_Scotland" title="Fishing industry in Scotland">Fishing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Forestry_in_Scotland" title="Forestry in Scotland">Forestry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Harris_Tweed" class="mw-redirect" title="Harris Tweed">Harris Tweed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Housing_in_Scotland" title="Housing in Scotland">Housing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Media_of_Scotland" title="Media of Scotland">Media</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Oil_industry_in_Scotland" title="Oil industry in Scotland">Oil industry</a> (<a href="/wiki/North_Sea_oil" title="North Sea oil">North Sea oil</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_Scotland" title="List of power stations in Scotland">Power stations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_Scotland" title="Renewable energy in Scotland">Renewable energy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Bank_of_Scotland" title="Royal Bank of Scotland">Royal Bank of Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tourism_in_Scotland" title="Tourism in Scotland">Tourism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Transport_in_Scotland" title="Transport in Scotland">Transport</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scotch_whisky" title="Scotch whisky">Whisky</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Silicon_Glen" title="Silicon Glen">Silicon Glen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unemployment_in_Scotland" title="Unemployment in Scotland">Unemployment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/International_relations_of_Scotland" title="International relations of Scotland">International trade</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Category:Society_of_Scotland" title="Category:Society of Scotland">Society</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0.5em;font-weight:normal;"><a href="/wiki/Culture_of_Scotland" title="Culture of Scotland">Culture</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Architecture_of_Scotland" title="Architecture of Scotland">Architecture</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_art" title="Scottish art">Art</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_clan" title="Scottish clan">Clans</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_cuisine" title="Scottish cuisine">Cuisine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Education_in_Scotland" title="Education in Scotland">Education</a> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Curriculum_for_Excellence" title="Curriculum for Excellence">Curriculum for Excellence</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lists_of_schools_in_Scotland" title="Lists of schools in Scotland">Schools</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_further_education_colleges_in_Scotland" title="List of further education colleges in Scotland">Colleges</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Universities_in_Scotland" title="Universities in Scotland">Universities</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Qualifications_Authority" title="Scottish Qualifications Authority">Scottish Qualifications Authority</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Education_Scotland" title="Education Scotland">Education Scotland</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hogmanay" title="Hogmanay">Hogmanay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_national_identity" title="Scottish national identity">Identity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_inventions_and_discoveries" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish inventions and discoveries">Inventions and discoveries</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_literature" title="Scottish literature">Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_museums_in_Scotland" title="List of museums in Scotland">Museums</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Music_of_Scotland" title="Music of Scotland">Music</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_oldest_buildings_in_Scotland" title="List of oldest buildings in Scotland">Oldest buildings</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Theatre_of_Scotland" title="Theatre of Scotland">Performing arts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_philosophy" title="Scottish philosophy">Philosophy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_toponymy" title="Scottish toponymy">Placenames</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Prostitution_in_Scotland" title="Prostitution in Scotland">Prostitution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_National_M%C3%B2d" title="Royal National Mòd">Royal National Mòd</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sport_in_Scotland" title="Sport in Scotland">Sport</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_surnames" title="Scottish surnames">Surnames</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_symbols_of_Scotland" title="National symbols of Scotland">Symbols</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/National_anthem_of_Scotland" title="National anthem of Scotland">anthem</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_coat_of_arms_of_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Royal coat of arms of Scotland">coat of arms</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_flags" title="List of Scottish flags">flags</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Flag_of_Scotland" title="Flag of Scotland">national flag</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tartan" title="Tartan">tartan</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Regimental_tartan" title="Regimental tartan">regimental</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unicorn#Scotland" title="Unicorn">unicorn</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_World_Heritage_Sites_in_Scotland" title="List of World Heritage Sites in Scotland">World Heritage Sites</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Festivals_in_Scotland" title="Festivals in Scotland">Festivals</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comedy_in_Scotland" title="Comedy in Scotland">Comedy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0.5em;font-weight:normal;"><a href="/wiki/Demographics_of_Scotland" title="Demographics of Scotland">Demographics</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0.5em;font-weight:normal;"><a href="/wiki/Languages_of_Scotland" title="Languages of Scotland">Languages</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Highland_English" title="Highland English">Highland English</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_English" title="Scottish English">Scottish English</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Gaelic" title="Scottish Gaelic">Scottish Gaelic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scots_language" title="Scots language">Scots</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Sign_Language" title="British Sign Language">British Sign Language</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0.5em;font-weight:normal;"><a href="/wiki/Scottish_people" title="Scottish people">People</a> (<a href="/wiki/List_of_Scots" title="List of Scots">list</a>)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_actors" title="List of Scottish actors">Actors</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_artists" title="List of Scottish artists">Artists</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_inventions_and_discoveries" class="mw-redirect" title="Scottish inventions and discoveries">Inventors</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_musicians" title="List of Scottish musicians">Musicians</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_scientists" title="List of Scottish scientists">Scientists</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Scottish_writers" title="List of Scottish writers">Writers</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;padding-left:0.5em;padding-right:0.5em;font-weight:normal;"><a href="/wiki/Religion_in_Scotland" title="Religion in Scotland">Religion</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%CA%BC%C3%AD_Faith_in_Scotland" title="Baháʼí Faith in Scotland">Baháʼí Faith</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Buddhism_in_Scotland" title="Buddhism in Scotland">Buddhism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Christianity_in_Scotland" title="Category:Christianity in Scotland">Christianity</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_Scotland" title="Christmas in Scotland">Christmas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Church_of_Scotland" title="Church of Scotland">Church of Scotland</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/General_Assembly_of_the_Church_of_Scotland" title="General Assembly of the Church of Scotland">General Assembly</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_moderators_of_the_General_Assembly_of_the_Church_of_Scotland" title="List of moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland">Moderators</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Scotland" title="Catholic Church in Scotland">Roman Catholicism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_Episcopal_Church" title="Scottish Episcopal Church">Scottish Episcopal Church</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baptist_Union_of_Scotland" title="Baptist Union of Scotland">Baptist Union</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_Church_of_Scotland_(since_1900)" title="Free Church of Scotland (since 1900)">Free Church of Scotland</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hinduism_in_Scotland" title="Hinduism in Scotland">Hinduism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Islam_in_Scotland" title="Islam in Scotland">Islam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Scotland" title="History of the Jews in Scotland">Judaism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sikhism_in_Scotland" title="Sikhism in Scotland">Sikhism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ethnic_minorities_in_Scotland" title="Ethnic minorities in Scotland">Ethnic minorities</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="font-weight:bold;"><div><div style="margin-bottom:-0.4em;"><ul><li><span class="nobold"><a href="/wiki/Outline_of_Scotland" title="Outline of Scotland">Outline</a></span></li></ul></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Scotland" title="Category:Scotland">Category</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Portal:Scotland" title="Portal:Scotland">Portal</a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Law_in_Europe" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Law_in_Europe" title="Template:Law in Europe"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Law_in_Europe" title="Template talk:Law in Europe"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Law_in_Europe" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Law in Europe"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Law_in_Europe" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Law_in_Europe" title="Law in Europe">Law in Europe</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Sovereign states</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Albania" title="Law of Albania">Albania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Andorra" title="Law of Andorra">Andorra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Armenia" title="Law of Armenia">Armenia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Austria" title="Law of Austria">Austria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Azerbaijan" title="Law of Azerbaijan">Azerbaijan</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Belarus&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Belarus (page does not exist)">Belarus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Belgium" title="Law of Belgium">Belgium</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina (page does not exist)">Bosnia and Herzegovina</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Bulgaria" title="Law of Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Croatia" title="Law of Croatia">Croatia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Cyprus" title="Law of Cyprus">Cyprus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_Czech_Republic" title="Law of the Czech Republic">Czech Republic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Denmark" title="Law of Denmark">Denmark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Estonia" title="Law of Estonia">Estonia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Finland" title="Law of Finland">Finland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_France" title="Law of France">France</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Georgia_(country)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Georgia (country) (page does not exist)">Georgia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Germany" title="Law of Germany">Germany</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Greece" class="mw-redirect" title="Law of Greece">Greece</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Hungary" title="Law of Hungary">Hungary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Iceland" title="Law of Iceland">Iceland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_Republic_of_Ireland" title="Law of the Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a></li> <li class="mw-empty-elt"></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Italy" title="Law of Italy">Italy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Kazakhstan" class="mw-redirect" title="Law of Kazakhstan">Kazakhstan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Latvia" title="Law of Latvia">Latvia</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Liechtenstein&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Liechtenstein (page does not exist)">Liechtenstein</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Lithuania" title="Law of Lithuania">Lithuania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Luxembourg" title="Law of Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Malta" title="Law of Malta">Malta</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Moldova&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Moldova (page does not exist)">Moldova</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Monaco&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Monaco (page does not exist)">Monaco</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Montenegro&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Montenegro (page does not exist)">Montenegro</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_Netherlands" title="Law of the Netherlands">Netherlands</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_North_Macedonia&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of North Macedonia (page does not exist)">North Macedonia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Norway" title="Law of Norway">Norway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Poland" title="Law of Poland">Poland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Portugal" title="Law of Portugal">Portugal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Romania" title="Law of Romania">Romania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Russia" title="Law of Russia">Russia</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_San_Marino&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of San Marino (page does not exist)">San Marino</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Serbia" title="Law of Serbia">Serbia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Slovakia" title="Law of Slovakia">Slovakia</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Slovenia&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Slovenia (page does not exist)">Slovenia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Spain" title="Law of Spain">Spain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Sweden" title="Law of Sweden">Sweden</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Switzerland" title="Law of Switzerland">Switzerland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Turkey" class="mw-redirect" title="Law of Turkey">Turkey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Ukraine" title="Law of Ukraine">Ukraine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Law of the United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_England" class="mw-redirect" title="Law of England">England</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Northern_Ireland" title="Law of Northern Ireland">Northern Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Scotland" class="mw-redirect" title="Law of Scotland">Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Wales" class="mw-redirect" title="Law of Wales">Wales</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Vatican_City" title="Law of Vatican City">Vatican City</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">States with limited<br />recognition</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Abkhazia&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Abkhazia (page does not exist)">Abkhazia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Kosovo" title="Law of Kosovo">Kosovo</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Northern_Cyprus&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Northern Cyprus (page does not exist)">Northern Cyprus</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_South_Ossetia&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of South Ossetia (page does not exist)">South Ossetia</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Transnistria&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Transnistria (page does not exist)">Transnistria</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Dependencies and<br />other entities</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_%C3%85land&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Åland (page does not exist)">Åland</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_the_Faroe_Islands&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of the Faroe Islands (page does not exist)">Faroe Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Gibraltar" title="Law of Gibraltar">Gibraltar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Guernsey" title="Law of Guernsey">Guernsey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_Isle_of_Man" title="Law of the Isle of Man">Isle of Man</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Jersey" title="Law of Jersey">Jersey</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Law_of_Svalbard&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Law of Svalbard (page does not exist)">Svalbard</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other entities</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_European_Union" title="Law of the European Union">European Union</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Law_of_the_United_Kingdom" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:UK_law" title="Template:UK law"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:UK_law" title="Template talk:UK law"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:UK_law" title="Special:EditPage/Template:UK law"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Law_of_the_United_Kingdom" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Law of the United Kingdom">Law of the United Kingdom</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Common fields</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Parliamentary_sovereignty_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Parliamentary sovereignty in the United Kingdom">Parliamentary sovereignty</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Constitution_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Constitution of the United Kingdom">Constitutional law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/English_law" title="English law">English law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Northern_Ireland" title="Law of Northern Ireland">Law of Northern Ireland</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Scots law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Welsh_law" title="Welsh law">Welsh law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Civil_liberties_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Civil liberties in the United Kingdom">Civil liberties</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_company_law" title="United Kingdom company law">Company</a> and <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_insolvency_law" title="United Kingdom insolvency law">insolvency law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_competition_law" title="United Kingdom competition law">Competition law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_labour_law" title="United Kingdom labour law">Labour law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_commercial_law" title="United Kingdom commercial law">Commercial law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Retained_EU_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Retained EU law">Retained EU law</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Parallel fields</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Delict_(Scots_law)" title="Delict (Scots law)">Scots delict</a> and <a href="/wiki/English_tort_law" title="English tort law">English tort law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scots_contract_law" title="Scots contract law">Scots</a> and <a href="/wiki/English_contract_law" title="English contract law">English contract law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scots_property_law" title="Scots property law">Scots</a> and <a href="/wiki/English_land_law" title="English land law">English land law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/English_trust_law" title="English trust law">Trusts</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scots_administrative_law" title="Scots administrative law">Scots</a> and <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_administrative_law" title="United Kingdom administrative law">English administrative law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_criminal_law" title="Scottish criminal law">Scots</a> and <a href="/wiki/English_criminal_law" title="English criminal law">English criminal law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scots_family_law" title="Scots family law">Scots</a> and <a href="/wiki/English_family_law" title="English family law">English family law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scots_civil_procedure" title="Scots civil procedure">Scots</a> and <a href="/wiki/Civil_Procedure_Rules" title="Civil Procedure Rules">English civil procedure</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related systems</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_British_Virgin_Islands" title="Law of the British Virgin Islands">British Virgin Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Australian_legal_system" title="Australian legal system">Australia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Canada" title="Law of Canada">Canada</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European Union law">European Union</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_Hong_Kong" title="Law of Hong Kong">Hong Kong</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_India" title="Law of India">India</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_Republic_of_Ireland" title="Law of the Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_New_Zealand" title="Law of New Zealand">New Zealand</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Law_of_the_United_States" title="Law of the United States">United States</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anglo-Saxon_law" title="Anglo-Saxon law">Anglo-Saxon law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Common_law" title="Common law">Common law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Equity_(law)" title="Equity (law)">Equity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:English_case_law" title="Category:English case law">English case law</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">See also</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Legal_services_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Legal services in the United Kingdom">Legal services in the United Kingdom</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Penal_law_(British)" title="Penal law (British)">British penal law</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div><b><a href="/wiki/Category:Law_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Category:Law of the United Kingdom">United Kingdom law category</a></b></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-label="Navbox" 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