The Robert Reid designed facade to Parliament Square

Parliament House in Edinburgh, Scotland, was home to the pre-1707 Parliament of Scotland, and now houses the Supreme Courts of Scotland. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. This article is about the pre-1707 parliament The article on the devolved legislative body established in 1999 is at Scottish Parliament. The College of Justice is a term used to describe the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and its associated bodies It is located in the Old Town, just off the Royal Mile, beside St Giles Cathedral. The Old Town of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Royal Mile is the popular name for the succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of Edinburgh's Old Town. A prominent feature of the Edinburgh skyline St Giles' Cathedral or the High Kirk of Edinburgh is a Church of Scotland place of worship decorating the

Parliament Hall

The oldest part of Parliament House is Parliament Hall, which King Charles I had built as a permanent home for the parliament. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. It was completed in 1639. It has a dramatic hammerbeam roof made of Scandinavian oak, which may have been designed to evoke Parliament Hall at Stirling Castle, a previous home to the Scottish court. Hammerbeam roof, in Architecture, the name given to a Gothic open Timber Roof, of which the finest example is that over Westminster Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin For ships named after the castle see Stirling Castle (disambiguation Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest The roof of the new Scottish Parliament building continues this tradition, and is supported by large laminated oak beams. The Scottish Parliament Building (Pàrlamaid na h-Alba is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site Glued laminated timber, also called "gluelam" or "glulam" is a type of structural Timber product composed of several layers of dimensioned Lumber

After the Act of Union 1707 the Parliament of Scotland was adjourned, and the building ceased to be used for its original function. The Acts of Union were a pair of Parliamentary Acts passed during 1706 and 1707 by the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland to put into This article is about the pre-1707 parliament The article on the devolved legislative body established in 1999 is at Scottish Parliament.

Courts

1877 Plan of the complex, including Parliament Hall, the Signet Library and the Advocates' Library

Even while the old Parliament was still in existence, parts of the buildings were used for legal cases, and afterwards this became the main function of the building. Scots law is a unique legal system with an ancient basis in Roman law. The civil, criminal and heraldic Courts of Scotland are responsible for the administration of Justice. The Justice and Communities Directorate is a Directorate within the Scottish Government. The Cabinet Secretary for Justice, commonly referred to as the Justice Secretary, is a Cabinet position in the Scottish Government. The Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland is Public body responsible for making recommendations on appointments to judicial offices in Scotland. The Scottish Court Service is an executive agency of the Scottish Government responsible for the administration the of the Court system in Scotland The College of Justice is a term used to describe the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and its associated bodies The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG in Scotland, is a public body based in Falkirk as part of the Scottish Court Service, established The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC is a non-departmental public body in Scotland, established by the Criminal Procedure (Scotland Act 1995 The Scottish Prison Service (SPS ( Scottish Gaelic: Seirbheisean nam prìosan Albanach) an executive agency of the Scottish Government tasked The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom, established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 The House of Lords, in addition to having a legislative function has a judicial function as a Court of last resort within the United Kingdom. The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland. It is both a Court of first instance and a court of Appeal and sits exclusively The Lord President of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in Scotland and presiding Judge (and Senator of the College of Justice and Court of Session The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior Judge in Scotland behind the Lord President of the Court of Session. The Senators of the College of Justice, also known as the Lords of Council and Session and as the Lords Commissioners of Justiciary, are the judges of the Court The Office of the Accountant of Court is a constituent body of the Supreme Courts of Scotland. Sheriff courts provide the local Court service in Scotland, with each court serving a sheriff court district within a Sheriffdom. SHERIFF is a telecom fraud detection and management system originally developed by BT and MCI. The High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court of Scotland. The Lord President of the Court of Session is head of the judiciary in Scotland and presiding Judge (and Senator of the College of Justice and Court of Session The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior Judge in Scotland behind the Lord President of the Court of Session. The Senators of the College of Justice, also known as the Lords of Council and Session and as the Lords Commissioners of Justiciary, are the judges of the Court Sheriff courts provide the local Court service in Scotland, with each court serving a sheriff court district within a Sheriffdom. The office of sheriff principal is unique within the judicial structure of Scotland, and it cannot therefore readily be compared with any other judicial office SHERIFF is a telecom fraud detection and management system originally developed by BT and MCI. A District Court is the lowest level of court in Scotland. It deals mainly with minor offences and they operate under summary procedure. A Justice of the Peace ( JP) is a Puisne Judicial officer appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace The Court of the Lord Lyon, also known as the Lyon Court, is a standing Court of law which regulates Heraldry in Scotland. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility The Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA is a Scottish Government executive non-departmental public body with responsibility for protecting Children A Children’s Hearing is part of the legal and welfare systems in Scotland; it aims to combine justice and welfare for children and young people The Scottish Land Court is based in Edinburgh and deals with disputes relating to Agricultural Tenancies between Landlords and tenants The Lands Tribunal for Scotland is a civil Court established in 1971[http //www Her Majesty's Advocate (or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Advocate) known as the Lord Advocate (Morair Tagraidh is the chief legal officer of the Scottish The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (Oifis a' Chrùin agus Seirbheis Neach-casaid a' Chrùin provides an independent public prosecution service, investigates The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (Oifis a' Chrùin agus Seirbheis Neach-casaid a' Chrùin provides an independent public prosecution service, investigates A procurator fiscal is the Public prosecutor in Scotland, also carrying out functions broadly equivalent to the Coroner in other Legal systems The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of Lawyers who have been admitted to practise as Advocates before the Courts of Scotland, especially the An advocate is one who speaks on behalf of another person especially in a legal context The Law Society of Scotland is the Professional governing body for Scottish Solicitors based in Edinburgh. Solicitor Advocate is the title used by a Solicitor who is qualified to represent clients as an Advocate in the higher courts in England and Wales or in A "solicitor" is a term used in many Common law jurisdictions for a lawyer who offers legal services outside of the courts The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is the oldest Legal society in the world The Advocates' Library is a Law library belonging to the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, founded in 1682 The two highest Scottish courts, the High Court of Justiciary for criminal cases and the Court of Session for civil cases, sit in the building, though the High Court of Justiciary may sit elsewhere. The civil, criminal and heraldic Courts of Scotland are responsible for the administration of Justice. The High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court of Scotland. The term criminal law, sometimes called penal law, refers to any of various bodies of rules in different Jurisdictions whose common characteristic is the potential The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland. It is both a Court of first instance and a court of Appeal and sits exclusively Private law (Civil law is that part of a Legal system that involves relationships between individuals

Libraries

The Advocates' Library was founded in 1682, and is currently located in a William Henry Playfair designed building at the south of the buildings. The Advocates' Library is a Law library belonging to the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, founded in 1682 William Henry Playfair (1790-1857 was one of the greatest Scottish architects of the 19th Century It remains a heavily used legal resource. As well collecting legal works it was also a deposit library, and in 1925 the non-legal books in their collection were gifted to the new National Library of Scotland, which is located adjacent to the library, on George IV Bridge. Legal deposit is a legal requirement that a person or group submit copies of their Publications to a repository usually a library. Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The National Library of Scotland is the Legal deposit Library of Scotland.

Alongside Parliament House is The Signet Library. It is a private library, funded by members of The Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet, who are generally practising solicitors. The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is the oldest Legal society in the world A "solicitor" is a term used in many Common law jurisdictions for a lawyer who offers legal services outside of the courts The current building is located on the north side of the buildings. Construction began in 1810 to a design by Robert Reid, and it presents a classical front to Parliament Square. The term Classical architecture has a specific Archaeological meaning relating to the architecture of Classical Greece This facade wraps around Parliament House as well, and replaced the existing Scottish baronial facade.

See also

• Scots law
• Courts of Scotland