The Council has now published its fourth Annual Report outlining its achievements, accounts and a summary of the rules prepared during the year.

This Act of Sederunt amends chapter 30 (withdrawal of agents) of the Rules of the Court of Session (“Rules”) to place additional requirements on agents who withdraw from acting and to allow the Court, on its own initiative, to ordain the party whose agent has withdrawn from acting to intimate whether they intend to proceed. It comes into force on 17 July 2017.

New Rules place additional requirements on agents who withdraw from acting for a party and allows the Court to call on the party to inform it of whether they intend to go ahead with their case. They come into force on 17 July.

Act of Sederunt (Sheriff Court Rules Amendment) (European Small Claims Procedure and European Order for Payment Procedure) 2017, will come into force on 14 July 2017.

This Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session, Sheriff Appeal Court Rules and Sheriff Court Rules Amendment) (Lay Representation) 2017) amends the current Court of Session, Sheriff Appeal Court, Ordinary Cause. Summary Cause and Summary Application Rules. It comes into force on 3 July 2017.

The Council has produced new rules which will come into force next month amending the scope of a lay representative's power in the Scottish courts.

This Act of Sederunt (Sheriff Court Rules Amendment) (Miscellaneous) 2017, amends the Act of Sederunt (Simple Procedure) 2016 (‘the Simple Procedure Rules”) and the Act of Sederunt (Fatal Accident Inquiry Rules) 2017 (“the FAI Rules”).

The Council has produced new Rules which will come into force next month amending the Simple Procedure Rules and the Fatal Accident Inquiry Rules.

This Act of Sederunt amends the Act of Sederunt (Fees of Sheriff Officers) (No. 2) 2002 to extend its application to simple procedure cases and appeals in the Sheriff Appeal Court.

This Act of Sederunt, which comes into force on 1 June 2017, amends the rules that apply to the appointment of curators ad litem to defenders in certain family actions. Paragraph 2 amends Chapters 33 and 33A of the Ordinary Cause Rules 1993. Paragraph 3 amends Chapter 49 of the Rules of the Court of Session 1994.