Proposals to bring about the biggest modernisation of Scotland’s courts in a generation have been approved with new legislation being passed by the Scottish Parliament.

The reforms include recommendations made by Lord Gill as part of the Scottish Civil Courts Review to improve the structure and operation of the courts, which were described as “slow, inefficient and expensive”.

The Courts Reform (Scotland) Bill, introduced by Justice Secretary Kenny Macaskill MSP, will change the procedures and processes in the courts. This includes: raising the exclusive competence of the sheriff court to £100,000; introducing summary sheriffs to deal with some types of criminal and civil cases in the sheriff courts; and establishing a Sheriff Appeal Court.

The Scottish Civil Justice Council, responsible for drafting rules of procedure for the civil courts, will be key in delivering many of the changes required by the legislation.