Civil justice statistics in Scotland: 2016-2017

The 2016-17 Civil Justice in Scotland release includes main statistics tables and figures and supplementary statistics tables.


Table 12: Debt cases initiated and disposed of[1] in the civil courts, by case type and final disposal, 2016-17

Case type Initiated Disposed Disposed
Absolvitor For pursuer Decree by default[2] Dismissed[3] Expenses only[3] Other
Defended Undefended
Court of Session 6 13 8 0 3   0   2 0 0
Sheriff: ordinary cause 4,483 3,560 386 335 2,174   32   598 17 18
Sheriff: commercial 259 183 38 25 86   5   24 1 4
Sheriff: summary cause4 2,336 3,024 141 215 1,796   12   815 11 34
Sheriff: small claim 17,522 22,149 564 1,218 12,474   171   7,346 158 218
Sheriff: simple procedure5 5,961 962 9 64 574   0   307 7 1
Total 30,567 29,891 1,146 1,857 17,107 0 220 0 9,092 194 275

1. Figures for initiations and disposals do not necessarily refer to the same cases.
2. Decree by default is a new category brought through by the new case management system. Data for this new category only covers November 2016 to March 2017.
3. Data from the new case management system is not currently split between 'defended' and 'undefended', therefore these have been combined into a single category.
4. First phase of simple procedure replaces the more straightforward cases of summary cause from 28 November 2016.
5. The first phase of simple procedure replaces the small claims and the more straightforward cases under summary procedure. It commenced on 28 November 2016 and therefore does not cover a full year.

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