Fall in proportion of Sheriff Court cases dealt with in 26-week target
The proportion of sheriff court cases across Scotland being dealt with within time targets has dropped slightly as new figures showed more than half of the courts were taking longer to process cases.
The proportion of sheriff court cases across Scotland being dealt with within time targets has dropped slightly as new figures showed more than half of the courts were taking longer to process cases.
Statistics show two courts in Scotland - Stornoway and Portree - hit the 26-week target from issuing a caution or charge to reaching a verdict for all cases in November 2016.
Inverness and Lochmaddy sheriff courts failed to hit the target in the same month for more than half of cases, 44.4% and 40% respectively.
Overall, 69.8% of cases were dealt with in the six-month time target compared to 73.2% for November 2015.
Slightly more than half of the 40 courts, 22, were taking longer to deal with cases in November 2016 than the previous year.
The other 18 courts had improved their performance and were hitting the target for a higher rate of cases.
The Scottish Conservatives linked the overall dip in performance with a programme of closures which has led to 10 sheriff courts and seven justice of the peace courts being shut.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Douglas Ross said: This is another example of the SNP being warned against making a decision for a number of reasons, but blundering on anyway.
Now it's taking longer to get cases through court and many will feel that's a direct result of the SNP's closure programme.
This doesn't just have an adverse impact on the staff left to sort this out, it also creates inconvenience for witnesses and victims of crime.
Now that the SNP has shut these courts right across the country, the least it could do is ensure those remaining have sufficient resources to see cases through to their conclusion in the target timeframe.''