Survey: Civil court users report lower satisfaction than lawyers

Kevin Kane

The 2026 report, compiled by research agency Progressive Partnership through face-to-face interviews with legal professionals, court staff and court users, found significantly lower satisfaction levels among civil litigants, witnesses and supporters than among lawyers.

Overall, 73 per cent of civil litigants, witnesses and supporters said they were “satisfied or very satisfied” with the service, compared with 94 per cent of advocates, solicitor advocates and solicitors. Fifteen per cent of civil court users said they were “dissatisfied or very dissatisfied”.

The report also found that 97 per cent of lawyers considered court staff polite, compared with 88 per cent of civil litigants, witnesses and supporters. Only 69 per cent of civil court users agreed that the service met their expectations, while 18 per cent disagreed. Meanwhile, 84 per cent agreed they were able to access the court services they required, while 12 per cent strongly disagreed.

Shared Parenting Scotland said the findings showed satisfaction with the civil courts was notably lower than with the criminal courts.

Chief executive Kevin Kane said: “This is important intelligence for the SCTS that overall satisfaction within civil proceedings is significantly lower than reported experience in the criminal courts. 

“We have been drawing attention to the Scottish Government for some time that party litigants in the family courts don’t feel there’s a level playing field compared to those who can find a solicitor. 

“I will be writing to SCTS urging them to interrogate the data in more detail to identify specific areas in which civil litigants feel let down. We will also offer to help them engage with our client base to facilitate urgent action to address the problems their report reveals.”