January 2010
PART-TIME SHERIFF APPOINTMENT EXERCISE
We have now been advised by the Scottish Government that, due to forecasted shrieval workload and the demand for Part-time Sheriffs, they will not be inviting the Board to run an appointment exercise. This means that we will not be advertising as planned in January 2010. However, the Board may be asked to run ad hoc exercises during the course of the next year to fill specific vacancies.
PUBLICATION OF THE SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS BOARD FOR SCOTLAND
The sixth Annual Report of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland was published on 24th December 2009. This is the last Report of the Board as a non-statutory body.
During the period June 2007 to May 2009, the Board completed six recruitment exercises to fill vacancies in the offices of Senator, Sheriff (both Resident and on an ‘All-Scotland Floating" basis) and Part-time Sheriff. The Board has also undergone a major changeover in its membership, in preparation for its transition to an Advisory Non-Departmental Public Body on the 1st of June 2009.
Sir Muir Russell, Chairing Member, said:
"I am pleased to present the sixth, and final, Annual Report of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland as a non-statutory body. It is customary for the Board’s report to be presented to the Scottish Ministers who then lay it before the Scottish Parliament.
This was a particularly busy period for the Board and its staff with the terms of appointment of a number of Board Members coming to an end and new Members joining. These changes coincided with other major developments including the Board’s transition from administrative to statutory body on 1 June 2009, as provided for in the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008, together with a move to new office premises in Drumsheugh Gardens and changes in the Secretariat team. All of this placed considerable additional demands on Board Members and staff.
I would like to acknowledge the outstanding contribution of my predecessor, Sir Neil McIntosh, who did so much to establish the Board from its inception in 2002 until October 2008. I would also like to pay tribute to former and current Board Members, whose commitment to the work of the Board should not go unrecorded. I must also thank the Secretariat staff, past and present, for their dedicated support to the Board."
The Annual Report was laid before the Scottish Parliament on the 24th December 2009.
PART-TIME SHERIFF APPOINTMENT EXERCISE
We have now been advised by the Scottish Government that, due to the forecasted shrieval workload and the demand for part-time Sheriffs, they will not be inviting the Board to run an appointment exercise. This means that we will not be advertising as planned in January 2010. However, the Board may be asked to run ad hoc exercises during the course of the next year to fill specific vacancies.
November 2009
Dear Lord President, Sheriffs Principal and Sheriffs
Please find below an announcement on the current Senator appointment exercise.
SENATOR OF THE COLLEGE OF JUSTICE
On the 9th October the Board advertised for applications for a vacancy arising from a planned retirement arising in May 2010. We intimated that if any further vacancies arise for this judicial office prior to then, it was our intention to make our recommendations to the First Minister in respect thereof from the outcome of this exercise. The Scottish Government have now asked the Board to recommend applicants for two further vacancies, one immediate vacancy and another from a planned recruitment in July 2010.
To accommodate this request, the closing date for applications has now been extended to 5pm on Friday 13th November. The closing date for receipt of referee assessment forms will be similarly extended to 5pm on Friday 11th December.
October 2009
PUBLICATION OF RESEARCH ON THE JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT SYSTEM IN SCOTLAND
On Wednesday 14th October, the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland received the findings of the research project undertaken by the independent research company, MVA Consultancy. The report is entitled "Continuous Improvement - An analysis of Scotland's Judicial Appointments Process".
Welcoming the report the Board's Chairing Member, Sir Muir Russell, said:
"I welcome the publication of this research report by MVA Consultancy. This is the first survey in which the whole legal profession in Scotland has been asked for its views and perceptions about judicial office and its appointments process.
I would like to thank all those who took time to complete the survey at the start of this year. Their responses have provided very useful information, which the Board will take into account in reviewing its processes when considering whether there are ways of further encouraging diversity among those available to be selected for judicial office in Scotland."
The Lord President said:
"It is of the first importance that individuals appointed to judicial office are of the highest calibre. Selection for appointment must be solely on merit but it is essential that applications should be encouraged from the widest range of persons eligible. I welcome the Board's decision to insutruct this survey and look forward to having the opportunity to examine its results."
The Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, Richard Keen QC, said:
"The Faculty of Advocates welcomes any measure to ensure a judicial process that secures the appointment of those best qualified and equipped to discharge judicial functions.
It is particularly important that we have a process which provides for appointments throughout the system without regard to gender, ethnic background, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, religion or disability."
The President of the Law Society of Scotland, Ian Smart, said:
"Following the publication of the Gill Report, we are potentially entering a completely new era in the field of judicial appointments. Against that background particularly, this is important research indicating the willingness of JABS to continuously improve and modernise the recruitment process and to encouarge applications from candidates from all strands of the legal profession.
It will be interesting to monitor future developments in judicial appointments as a result."
The report and associated papers are available on the  Publications page.
APPOINTMENT EXERCISE FOR THE OFFICE OF SENATOR OF THE COLLEGE OF JUSTICE
On Friday 9th October, the Board advertised for applications from suitably qualified persons interested in appointment to the above judicial office. Currently there is one vacancy which will arise in May 2010 from a planned retirement. However, if any further vacancies arise for this judicial office prior to then, it is our intention to make our recommendations to the First Minister in respect thereof from the outcome of this exercise.
August 2009
At the Board meeting on Monday 10th August, the Board members approved the system to be used in scoring applications for judicial appointments, and the interview panel membership for the Office of Sheriff 2010 appointment exercise. The Board agreed on their nomination to an ad hoc Commission to be formed for the appointment of a Justice of the UK Supreme Court. The Board agreed to the establishment and membership of the Audit and Risk Management Committee and our Annual Report to the Scottish Government on the Security Policy Framework and Information Risk. The next scheduled meeting of the Board will take place on Monday 14th September.
The approved minutes of the meeting will be placed on this website by 9th November.
July 2009
OFFICE OF SHERIFF 2010 APPOINTMENT EXERCISE
On Friday 17th July, the Board advertised for applications from suitably qualified persons interested in appointment to the office of Sheriff, either on a resident or floating basis, throughout the Sheriffdoms of Scotland during the calendar year 2010. The Board intends to establish a pool of suitable persons upon which it can draw whenever a request is received from the First Minister to recommend a person to be appointed to any full time shrieval office during the year. It is unlikely that further exercises for recommendation for appointment to the full time shrieval bench will be run during 2010.
Please see the Vacancies page for further information and an application form.
BOARD MEETING: MONDAY 13th JULY
At the Board meeting on Monday 13th July, the Board members approved the application paperwork for the Office of Sheriff appointment exercise, due to commence on Friday 17th July. They also received a progress report from the Diversity Working Group and agreed to an amendment to the JP Recruitment Guide regarding the training of Justices of the Peace. The Board heard from members who attended a tripartite conference of UK judicial appointments organisations in May and the Diversity forum Seminar hosted by the Judicial AppointmentsCommission in London on 7th July. The next scheduled meeting of the Board will take place on Monday 10th August.
The approved minutes of the meeting will be placed on this website by 12th October.
June 2009
BOARD MEETING: MONDAY 8th JUNE
The Board held its first meeting since it became a statutory non-departmental public body on 1st June. The Board agreed to formally adopt the Freedom of Information Publication Scheme, the Complaints Procedure, Code of Conduct for Board Members, Code of Conduct for Secretariat Staff, Data Protection Policy, Criminal Convictions - Statement of Principle, and our Policy on Confidentiality. These documents will be available in the Publications section of the website. The Board also considered a number of issues arising under the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008. The next scheduled meeting of the Board will take place on Monday 8th July.
The approved minutes of the meeting will be placed on this website by 7th September.
STRENGTHENED STATUS FOR BODY THAT SELECTS SCOTLAND'S JUDGES
On Monday 1st June 2009 the Scottish Government announced that the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland, which was set up on an administrative basis in 2002, will become an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body, underpinned by statute.
This change of status, as provided for in the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008 gives added authority and independence to its role in recommending candidates for judicial offices and providing advice to Ministers in connection with such appointments.
Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill said:
"This is an important step that continues to ensure the independence of the judiciary in Scotland.
I have complete confidence that the new Board will continue to recommend the best individuals for judicial office, ensuring that people of Scotland are served by a first class judiciary. I wish the Board well in their task and look forward to continuing to strengthen our working relationship."
Sir Muir Russell, the Chairing Member of the Judicial Appointments Board said:
"The strengthened status of the Board and its guaranteed independence are critical in retaining the confidence of the public and legal profession in having an open and transparent judicial appointments system solely based on merit.
There are many challenges ahead for the new Board. We are currently reviewing our processes and procedures to ensure that we have the fullest possible evidence when selecting the best possible candidates for judicial offices."
PUBLICATION OF BOARD’S ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2007 - 2009
November 2009
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