2026 No. 53

Court Of Session

Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session 1994 Amendment) (Court Sittings) 2026

Made4th February 2026

Laid before the Scottish Parliament5th February 2026

Coming into force in accordance with paragraph 1(2), (3) and (4)

The Court of Session makes this Act of Sederunt under the powers conferred by section 103(1) of the Courts Reform (Scotland) Act 20141 and all other powers enabling it to do so.

Citation and commencement, etc.1.

(1)

This Act of Sederunt may be cited as the Act of Sederunt (Rules of the Court of Session 1994 Amendment) (Court Sittings) 2026.

(2)

Subject to sub-paragraphs (3) and (4), it comes into force on 1st January 2027.

(3)

Paragraph 2(2)(a) comes into force on 9th March 2026.

(4)

Paragraph 2(2)(c) and schedule 2 come into force on 6th January 2027.

(5)

A certified copy is to be inserted in the Books of Sederunt.

Amendment of the Rules of the Court of Session 19942.

(1)

Chapter 10 (court sittings) of the Rules of the Court of Session 19942 is amended in accordance with this paragraph.

(2)

In rule 10.3 (holiday dates, periods and vacation sitting days)3—

(a)

in the definition of “public holiday”, in the column of the Table labelled “2026” omit the words “the afternoon of”;

(b)

in the definition of “public holiday”, for the Table substitute the Table in schedule 1;

(c)

in the definition of “vacation”, for the Table substitute the Table in schedule 2;

(d)

in the definition of “vacation sitting day”, for the Table substitute the Table in schedule 3.

PAUL CULLEN

Lord President

I.P.D.

Edinburgh

4th February 2026

SCHEDULE 1

Paragraph 2(2)(b)

Table

2027	2028	2029
Friday 1st January 2027	Monday 3rd January 2028	Monday 1st January 2029
Monday 4th January 2027	Tuesday 4th January 2028	Tuesday 2nd January 2029
Friday 26th March 2027	Monday 10th April 2028	Friday 30th March 2029
Monday 29th March 2027	Friday 14th April 2028	Monday 2nd April 2029
Monday 19th April 2027	Monday 17th April 2028	Monday 16th April 2029
Monday 3rd May 2027	Monday 1st May 2028	Monday 7th May 2029
Monday 24th May 2027	Monday 22nd May 2028	Monday 21st May 2029
Monday 20th September 2027	Monday 18th September 2028	Monday 17th September 2029
Monday 29th November 2027	Monday 4th December 2028	Monday 3rd December 2029
Friday 24th December 2027	Friday 22nd December 2028	Monday 24th December 2029
Monday 27th December 2027	Monday 25th December 2028	Tuesday 25th December 2029
Tuesday 28th December 2027	Tuesday 26th December 2028	Wednesday 26th December 2029

SCHEDULE 2

Paragraph 2(2)(c)

Table

First column	Second column
Saturday 27th March 2027	Friday 9th April 2027
Saturday 18th December 2027	Wednesday 5th January 2028
Saturday 8th April 2028	Friday 21st April 2028
Friday 22nd December 2028	Friday 5th January 2029
Saturday 24th March 2029	Friday 6th April 2029
Saturday 22nd December 2029	Friday 4th January 2030

SCHEDULE 3

Paragraph 2(2)(d)

Table

2027	2028	2029
Wednesday 31st March 2027	Wednesday 5th January 2028	Wednesday 3rd January 2029
Wednesday 7th April 2027	Wednesday 12th April 2028	Wednesday 28th March 2029
Wednesday 22nd December 2027	Wednesday 19th April 2028	Wednesday 4th April 2029
Wednesday 29th December 2027	Wednesday 27th December 2028	Thursday 27th December 2029

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Act of Sederunt)

This Act of Sederunt amends the Rules of the Court of Session 1994 to set out the public holidays, vacation periods and vacation sitting days of the Court of Session up to the end of the 2029 winter vacation.

This Act of Sederunt also amends the public holidays so that Christmas Eve, or its equivalent, depending on whether Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day fall on a weekend, becomes a full day’s public holiday.