The Scottish Court Service’s firm proposals for future court structures should be known by April, The Courier can reveal.
The consultation period on future court structures closed last Friday.
Proposals include closure of Cupar, Arbroath, Alloa and Stonehaven sheriff courts.
There has been a backlash from campaigners in the Cupar and Arbroath areas who believe closure of their courts cannot be justified and would be detrimental to justice and the local economies.
A Scottish Court spokesperson told The Courier: “An analysis of consultation responses will be carried out during January and February and we anticipate publishing a report in April setting out the SCS response to the consultation and our firm proposals for future court structures.
“The decision on any resulting court closures would be a matter for the Scottish Parliament and would require the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to bring forward subordinate legislation.
“Should the Cabinet Secretary agree with any proposal for court closures it is likely that the necessary orders would be laid before the summer recess.”
Meanwhile former Prime Minister Kirkcaldy MP Gordon Brown has expressed his objection to proposed changes affecting sheriff-and-jury trials at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
Mr Brown said Kirkcaldy should continue to have a court capable of jury trials, and he has written to the Scottish Justice Minister complaining about the Scottish Government’s proposal to deny Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court this right.
Mr Brown said next year could see the loss of an age-old local landmark institution trial by jury through the local sheriff court if proposals go ahead.
Under the Scottish Government consultation document Kirkcaldy is to be downgraded, with Dunfermline becoming the central court for jury trials in the area.
In addition an amalgamation of Kirkcaldy Justice of the Peace Court into Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court has been proposed.
The report also earmarks Cupar Sheriff Court for closure as the Scottish Court Service is cut by £10.9 million over the next two years.
Mr Brown said: “The people of Kirkcaldy deserve justice to be delivered locally and in a meaningful way.”
“I support MSP Claire Baker’s campaign to secure a better deal for Kirkcaldy and to ensure our case is heard.”
“I fear that by moving jury trials out of Kirkcaldy and into Dunfermline we will see an increase in delays for trials.”
“What’s more, a great local institution that has served the people of Kirkcaldy and surrounding area well over decades is being downgraded.
“And any delays in justice will compound for many victims their ordeals.
“We should be making it easier, not harder, for victims to see justice delivered,” he added.
However, responding to recent comment by Claire Baker, the SCS has emphasised there are no plans to close Kirkcaldy JP court.
Quoting from the consultation document, an SCS spokesman said: “In Kirkcaldy the volume of business is such that we could not move the justice of the peace court into the sheriff courthouse at this time.
“As adding to the present sheriff court accommodation is not an option in the foreseeable future, our view is that the necessary capacity to deal with the caseload of the justice of the peace court would become free only by restructuring the court programme and giving consideration to whether areas of Kirkcaldy’s current caseload could be dealt with at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.”
The spokesman said all of the court proposals were just that proposals, adding: “We are still at consultation stage and no final decision has been made.”
malexander@thecourier.co.uk