Pictured: Malcolm Graham, Sheriff Mhairi Stephen, Sheriff Kenneth Campbell and Sheriff Robert Fife

Among those attending were sheriffs past and present who have sat on the Personal Injury Court.

Sheriff Kenneth Campbell KC, administrative sheriff for the court, welcomed everyone to the event, in particular Sheriff Mhairi Stephen who was the sheriff principal at the time the court was created.

Sheriff Campbell said: “I am delighted that there are present and former judicial colleagues here, as well as past and present members of the clerking team.  Some members of the team have been with the court from the start, others have joined more recently, but without the huge effort behind the cameras, the court would not have achieved half of what we have done in the past 10 years. 

“Can I also pay particular tribute to my immediate predecessor as admin sheriff, Sheriff Robert Fife, whose tireless enthusiasm and commitment to the court has been invaluable. Sheriff Fife helped us deal with the Covid curve; and it was he who first recognised the need for a second dedicated court to deal with the continuing volume of business. As a result, we are now able to run two and occasionally three proofs in a week.”

Malcolm Graham, chief executive of SCTS, then addressed those gathered highlighting the remarkable success of the court since it was established.

“Ten years ago, on the 22nd of September 2015, the court was established following the recommendations of Lord Gill’s Scottish Civil Courts Review. It was born out of a vision to create a more efficient, accessible, and specialist forum for personal injury litigation—a vision that has not only been realised but has flourished beyond expectation.

“From its modest beginnings, the court has grown into a cornerstone of our civil justice landscape. Today, it handles over 6,500 new actions annually, and is projected to handle over 16,000 motions this year, representing approximately 70 per cent of all personal injury claims in Scotland. This remarkable growth is a testament to the trust placed in the court by practitioners and the public alike, and to the dedication of our sheriffs, clerks, and administrative staff.”

NPIC has all-Scotland jurisdiction in personal injury cases exceeding £5,000 up to £100,000. NPIC also handles many cases over £100,000, complementing higher value personal injury cases raised in the Court of Session.

A key feature of the court is the group of nominated sheriffs managing its business, and allocated proof diets. Another important feature is quick and efficient disposal of motions by electronic means, allowing for email intimation, submission of motions and issuing of interlocutors. It also provides clerks of court with a quasi-judicial function to consider and grant motions of a common and straightforward nature.