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.

The latest edition of the Council's newsletter, Update, is now available.

New Rules have been made in relation to ongoing court reforms. The Rules, which come into force on 28 November, 2016, deal with changes to sections 87, 100 and 101 of the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

A vacancy has arisen for a new advocate member for the Council. Those interested in the post should submit an application by midnight on Friday, 26 August.

New Rules introduce a compulsory Personal Injury Pre-Action Protocol which will apply to certain claims of damages up to the value of £25,000 in local sheriff courts and the all-Scotland Personal Injury Court.

The Act of Sederunt (Sheriff Court Rules Amendment) (Personal Injury Pre-Action Protocol) 2016 introduces a new chapter into both the Ordinary Cause Rules (Chapter 3A) and the Summary Cause Rules (Chapter 4A) requiring parties to a prospective action of damages for personal injury to comply with a compulsory protocol prior to commencing proceedings.

The Council has now published its Annual Programme detailing how it will deliver on its priorities for 2016 - 17.