- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As enacted)
There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Court of Session Act 1988. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.![]()
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
This section lists the commencement orders yet to be applied to the whole Act. These effects are included in this view as they may be (but won’t necessarily be) relevant to the specific provision that you are viewing. Where applicable the commencement orders are listed under two headings, firstly those that bring some part of the Act you are viewing into force and secondly, those that bring into force legislation that affects some part of the legislation you are viewing. If you are viewing a prospective version or there is a prospective version available there may be commencement orders listed here that are relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Commencement Orders bringing legislation that affects this Act into force:
F1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Annotations are used to give authority for changes and other effects on the legislation you are viewing and to convey editorial information. They appear at the foot of the relevant provision or under the associated heading. Annotations are categorised by annotation type, such as F-notes for textual amendments and I-notes for commencement information (a full list can be found in the Editorial Practice Guide). Each annotation is identified by a sequential reference number. For F-notes, M-notes and X-notes, the number also appears in bold superscript at the relevant location in the text. All annotations contain links to the affecting legislation.
Amendments (Textual)
F1S. 19 repealed (4.5.2006) by Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 (asp. 2), ss. 45(2), 46(2), Sch. 3; S.S.I. 2006/212, art. 2 (subject to art. 5)
Annotations are used to give authority for changes and other effects on the legislation you are viewing and to convey editorial information. They appear at the foot of the relevant provision or under the associated heading. Annotations are categorised by annotation type, such as F-notes for textual amendments and I-notes for commencement information (a full list can be found in the Editorial Practice Guide). Each annotation is identified by a sequential reference number. For F-notes, M-notes and X-notes, the number also appears in bold superscript at the relevant location in the text. All annotations contain links to the affecting legislation.
Amendments (Textual)
F2S. 20 repealed (1.11.1996) by 1995 c. 36, s. 105(5), Sch. 5 (with s. 103(1)); S.I. 1996/2203, art. 3(3), Sch. Table
Exchequer causes shall at all times take precedence of and have preference over all other causes in the Court.
Except where any enactment otherwise provides, all exchequer causes brought—
(a)on behalf of the Crown, shall be at the instance of [F3the appropriate Law Officer within the meaning of section 4A of the Crown Suits (Scotland) Act 1857];
(b)by any person alleging any ground of action against the Crown, shall be directed against [F3the appropriate Law Officer within the meaning of section 4A of the Crown Suits (Scotland) Act 1857].
Annotations are used to give authority for changes and other effects on the legislation you are viewing and to convey editorial information. They appear at the foot of the relevant provision or under the associated heading. Annotations are categorised by annotation type, such as F-notes for textual amendments and I-notes for commencement information (a full list can be found in the Editorial Practice Guide). Each annotation is identified by a sequential reference number. For F-notes, M-notes and X-notes, the number also appears in bold superscript at the relevant location in the text. All annotations contain links to the affecting legislation.
Amendments (Textual)
F3Words in s. 22(a)(b) substituted (20.5.1999) by 1999/1042, arts. 1(2)(b), 4, Sch. 2 Pt. 1 para. 8
In all exchequer causes, [F4the appropriate Law Officer within the meaning of section 4A of the Crown Suits (Scotland) Act 1857] shall, in pleading on behalf of the Crown, have the privilege of being heard last.
Annotations are used to give authority for changes and other effects on the legislation you are viewing and to convey editorial information. They appear at the foot of the relevant provision or under the associated heading. Annotations are categorised by annotation type, such as F-notes for textual amendments and I-notes for commencement information (a full list can be found in the Editorial Practice Guide). Each annotation is identified by a sequential reference number. For F-notes, M-notes and X-notes, the number also appears in bold superscript at the relevant location in the text. All annotations contain links to the affecting legislation.
Amendments (Textual)
F4Words in s. 23 substituted (20.5.1999) by S.I. 1999/1042, arts. 1(2)(b), 4, Sch. 2 Pt. 1 para. 8
An appeal may be brought to the [F6Supreme Court] against the judgment of the Inner House in an exchequer cause as if it were a judgment of the Inner House on the whole merits of the cause in an ordinary action.
Annotations are used to give authority for changes and other effects on the legislation you are viewing and to convey editorial information. They appear at the foot of the relevant provision or under the associated heading. Annotations are categorised by annotation type, such as F-notes for textual amendments and I-notes for commencement information (a full list can be found in the Editorial Practice Guide). Each annotation is identified by a sequential reference number. For F-notes, M-notes and X-notes, the number also appears in bold superscript at the relevant location in the text. All annotations contain links to the affecting legislation.
Amendments (Textual)
F5Words in s. 24 side-note substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 40, 148, Sch. 9 para. 49(2); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)
F6Words in s. 24 substituted (1.10.2009) by virtue of Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 40, 148, Sch. 9 para. 49(2); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)
(1)The Lord Ordinary before whom any cause initiated by a petition comes shall have power to dispose of the petition himself.
(2)For the purpose of disposing of such a cause, the Lord Ordinary may make such investigation and require such assistance from professional persons or persons of science or of skill as he thinks fit.
(3)On any such cause coming before him, the Lord Ordinary may grant commission to take the depositions of havers and the evidence of witnesses as provided in section 10 of this Act with respect to an action.
(1)The parties to any dispute or question to which this section applies may present a petition in the Outer House setting out the dispute or question and craving that it may be decided by a particular Lord Ordinary, and any such petition shall stand referred to such Lord Ordinary for his determination of the dispute or question.
(2)The parties to any action in dependence in the Outer House not affecting the status of any person may agree by joint minute, or in such other manner as may be prescribed, that the provisions of this section shall apply to the action, and thereafter those provisions shall apply accordingly.
(3)Provision shall be made by act of sederunt under this Act for securing that causes under this section shall be disposed of with as little delay as possible.
(4)This section shall apply to any dispute or question not affecting the status of any person which might competently be the subject of any cause in the Outer House, or which might competently have been the subject of any such cause but for section 7 of the M1Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act 1907.
Annotations are used to give authority for changes and other effects on the legislation you are viewing and to convey editorial information. They appear at the foot of the relevant provision or under the associated heading. Annotations are categorised by annotation type, such as F-notes for textual amendments and I-notes for commencement information (a full list can be found in the Editorial Practice Guide). Each annotation is identified by a sequential reference number. For F-notes, M-notes and X-notes, the number also appears in bold superscript at the relevant location in the text. All annotations contain links to the affecting legislation.
Marginal Citations
(1)Where any parties interested, whether personally or in some fiduciary or official capacity, in the decision of a question of law are agreed upon the facts, and are in dispute only on the law applicable to those facts, it shall be competent for them without raising any proceeding, or at any stage of any proceeding, to present to the Inner House a case (in this section referred to as a special case) signed by their counsel setting out the facts upon which they are so agreed and the question of law arising from those facts; and the parties may ask the Court either for its opinion or for its judgment on that question of law.
(2)The Court may, if it thinks fit, in case of difficulty or importance or of equal division, appoint a special case to be reheard by a larger court under section 36 of this Act.
(3)The Court shall dispose of all questions of expenses arising in a special case.
(4)Any judgment pronounced by the Court by virtue of this section shall be extractible in common form.
(5)Any judgment pronounced by the Court by virtue of this section shall be liable to review by the [F7Supreme Court] unless such review is excluded by consent of all the parties to the special case.
Annotations are used to give authority for changes and other effects on the legislation you are viewing and to convey editorial information. They appear at the foot of the relevant provision or under the associated heading. Annotations are categorised by annotation type, such as F-notes for textual amendments and I-notes for commencement information (a full list can be found in the Editorial Practice Guide). Each annotation is identified by a sequential reference number. For F-notes, M-notes and X-notes, the number also appears in bold superscript at the relevant location in the text. All annotations contain links to the affecting legislation.
Amendments (Textual)
F7Words in s. 27(5) substituted (1.10.2009) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 40, 148, Sch. 9 para. 49(3); S.I. 2009/1604, art. 2(d)
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made):The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include: