The Scottish Government

SUPPORTING COURT USERS: The In-Court Advice and Mediation Projects in Edinburgh Sheriff Court

RESEARCH PHASE 2

Elaine Samuel
Department of Social Policy
University of Edinburgh

Scottish Executive Central Research Unit
2002

This document is also available in pdf format (560k)

CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE

CHAPTER ONE:THE IN-COURT ADVICE PROJECT
IN EDINBURGH SHERIFF COURT
1.1 The In-court Advice Project: Phase 2 Research
1.2 The In-court Advice Project: Charting its origins
1.3 The In-court Advice Project in Edinburgh Sheriff Court

CHAPTER TWO:THE RESEARCH
2.1 Phase 1 Research
2.2 Background to Phase 2 Research
2.3 Phase 2 Research: Scope and Aims
2.4 Phase 2 Research: Data
2.5 Phase 2 Research report: Contents24

CHAPTER THREE:THE IN-COURT ADVICE PROJECT:
DOCUMENTING THE BUSINESS
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Volume of business: Consultations
3.3 Clients and their cases
3.4 Client referrals
3.5 Referrals and procedural stage
3.6 Charting the business of the In-Court advice project:
Work load and work ditribution
3.7 Summary of findings

CHAPTER FOUR:THE MEDIATION PROJECT
4.1 Introduction
4.2 The Mediation Project: Monitoring the business
4.3 The Mediation Project in the Sheriff Court
4.4 The Mediation Project in operation: Clients and mediators
4.5 Summary of findings

CHAPTER FIVE:IN THE SHERIFF COURT
5.1 Sheriffs
5.2 Sheriff clerks and other court staff
5.3 The In-court Advice Project and 'the other side': Solicitors
5.4 The In-court Advice Project and 'the other side':
The City of Edinburgh Housing Department
5.5 Advice agencies
5.6 Summary of finding

CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSIONS
6.1 The In-court Advice Project
6.2 The Mediation Project
6.3 The Sheriff Court
6.4 The wider context

BIBLIOGRAPHY

GLOSSARY