The Act of Sederunt (Fees of Solicitors and Shorthand Writers in the Court of Session, Sheriff Appeal Court and Sheriff Court Amendment) 2016 makes amendments and additions to fees in these courts

The Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session 1994 and Summary Application Rules 1999 Amendment) (Serious Crime Prevention Orders etc.) 2016 extends the availability of Serious Crime Prevention Orders so that they can be made in Scotland.

The Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session1994 Amendment) (Postal Administration) 2016 results from legislative changes under the Postal Services Act 2011.

The Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session 1994 and Sheriff Court Rules Amendment) (No. 4) (Simple Procedure) 2016 is part of the implementation programme for simple procedure and comes into force on the same day, 28 November 2016, as the relevant parts of the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 and the simple procedure rules.

The Council today published an update on its progress in meeting the priorities set out in its Annual Programme for 2016-17.

Two new bankruptcy Rules have been made.

A new advocate member, Lynda Brabender, has been appointed to the Council for a three year term.

The Act of Sederunt makes provision regarding the lay representation of non-natural persons (for example a company) in civil proceedings in the Court of Session, the Sheriff Appeal Court and the sheriff court, and partly implements Chapter 4 (lay representation for non-natural persons) of the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session 1994 and Sheriff Court Rules Amendment) (No. 3) (Miscellaneous) 2016 makes changes to the Ordinary Cause Rules to make it clear that, when a family or civil partnership action is intimated to a child who is not a party to the proceedings, a copy of the initial writ must not be sent to the child. It also amends other rules of court in relation to the form of charge for payment, applications for liability orders and recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and matters of parental responsibility.

New sheriff court rules will prohibit a copy of an initial writ being sent to children in family and civil partnership actions. The initial writ is the document that normally starts civil actions in the sheriff court.