Judge or sheriff
Oversee a court to ensure that people accused of breaking the law are treated fairly. Make judgements based on the evidence and the law.
Also known as: stipendiary magistrate, justice of the peace (JP)
About the job
What it's like
As a judge or sheriff, you'll oversee a court. You'll make sure people accused of breaking the law are treated fairly in legal cases. It's also your responsibility to make judgements and give sentences based on evidence and the law.
There are several types of court in Scotland. You'll have a unique role and deal with different cases, depending on which court you work in.
Justice of the Peace (JP) or Stipendiary Magistrate. You'll sit in the Justice of the Peace Courts and deal with crimes like speeding, vandalism and assault.
Sheriff or Sheriff Principal. You'll sit in Sheriff Courts and deal with more serious cases such as dangerous driving, serious assault, theft and some civil disputes. In this position, you may also carry out Fatal Accident Inquiries into sudden or suspicious deaths.
Judges. You'll hear civil cases in the Court of Session. For example, you may deal with disputes around family law, contract and commercial law or appeals regarding civil law cases.
Your decisions will make a huge impact on people's lives. So, you have a responsibility to make sure the accused gets a fair trial – and that justice is served.
You may hear a case alone or alongside other judges. You'll then step away to consider the arguments or evidence and make a judgement. Back in court, you'll explain why you reached your conclusion.
If there's a jury in the court, you'll accept their decision. Should the jury find the accused guilty, you'll decide on a sentence within the limits of the law.
A case can last less than an hour, a few weeks or several months! Judges sometimes do other types of work, such as leading investigations into important public issues.
Your tasks might include:
reading background papers about a case
overseeing the conduct of the case according to the law
keeping order in the courtroom
making sure that cases run smoothly
explaining legal issues to the jury, if there is one
giving rulings on legal issues as the two sides present their evidence for and against the accused
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Law Society of Scotland – explore the professional body for solicitors in Scotland
Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (PDF) – find out more about working as a sheriff
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- making decisions
- reliable
- ethical
- taking initiative
- attention to detail
- written communication
- verbal communication
- listening
- mediating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Classical Studies
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English
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Latin
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People and Society
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Psychology
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Sociology
Judges in Scotland must have worked as a sheriff or sheriff principal for at least five years.
To become a sheriff, you must have spent at least 10 years working as an advocate or solicitor. You'll need a degree to get into either of these roles.
Explore our advocate job profile and solicitor job profile to learn more about all the qualifications you'll need to build a career in these professions.
Each sheriff must keep their knowledge of relevant laws, evidence rules and procedures up to date.
Before sitting alone, a sheriff will normally do five days of specific training plus five days sitting alongside an experienced sheriff.
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