Falkirk Sheriff Court is a judicial structure on Main Street in Camelon, a district of Falkirk in Scotland. It operates within the sheriffdom of Tayside, Central and Fife.
| Falkirk Sheriff Court | |
|---|---|
 The building in 2011 | |
| Location | Main Street, Camelon, Falkirk |
| Coordinates | 56°00′13″N 3°48′55″W / 56.0036°N 3.8152°W |
| Built | 1990 |
| Architect | RMJM |
| Architectural style(s) | Postmodern style |
  Shown in Falkirk | |
History
editUntil the late 1980s, hearings took place at the Old Sheriff Court in Hope Street.[1][2][3] However, as the number of court cases in Falkirk grew, it became necessary to commission a modern courthouse for criminal matters. The site the court officials selected was open land on the south side of Main Street in Camelon.[4]
The new building was designed by RMJM in the Postmodern style, built in red sandstone at a cost of £6.3 million,[5] and was completed in 1990.[6][7][8] The design involved a symmetrical main frontage of 11 bays facing onto Main Street. The central bay was formed by a semi-circular section which was projected forward. It featured a short flight of steps leading up to three doorways which were recessed behind a semi-circular colonnade supporting an entablature. There were a series of casement windows on the first floor of the section. The wings of five bays each were laid out in a similar style with casement windows recessed behind colonnades on the ground floor and another series of casement windows on the first floor. Internally, the building was laid out to accommodate four courtrooms.[9]
Operations
editThe court deals with both criminal and civil cases. There are currently two sheriffs in post at Falkirk Sheriff Court.[10] They sit alone in civil cases and are assisted by a jury of fifteen members selected from the electoral roll in some criminal cases (cases involving solemn proceedings only). The Sheriff Principal is Gillian Wade.[11]
References
edit- ^ Meek, Alan (1991). "The Prison and Sheriff Court of Falkirk" (PDF). Falkirk Local History Society. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Former Sheriff Court including boundary walls, gatepiers and lamp stands, 1 Hope Street, Falkirk (LB31200)". Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ "The Old Sheriff Court". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ "Ordnance Survey Six-inch 1st edition, 1843–1882". Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 1992. p. 377. ISBN 978-0-10-681214-1.
- ^ Glendinning, Miles (2019). History of Scottish Architecture. Edinburgh university Press. p. 582. ISBN 978-1474468503.
- ^ "Falkirk Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court". Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ Jaques, Richard (2001). Falkirk and District An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Rutland Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-1873190081.
- ^ "Inspection of the Conditions in which Prisoners are Transported and Held in Sheriff and JP Courts while Under Escort" (PDF). H. M. Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland. 20 March 2012. p. 73. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ "List of Scottish sheriffs". Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ "Gillian Wade KC becomes sheriff principal for Tayside, Central and Fife". Scottish Legal News. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2024.