Dumfries Justice of the Peace Court is located in the Sheriff Court House, in Buccleuch Street, Dumfries. The court sits in Courtroom 3, on the first floor (the other courtrooms are used for the Sheriff Courts). The court sits on weekdays, from 10 am until 4 pm. Where a case calls in court for the first time, the court normally sets the case down to be heard on a Tuesday. Where the sentence is adjourned, for example where the court requires an individual to attend, the hearing is usually on a Thursday.
To contact Dumfries Justice of the Peace Court, phone the Scottish Court Service help desk on 01387 262 334. The court is extremely busy, often dealing with 90 cases or more in a day. All cases at Dumfries Justice of the Peace Court are scheduled to start at 10 am. In such a busy court, it is inevitable that most people who are called to appear will have to wait (for up to an hour or more) to have their cases called. The order that cases are called depends on the Procurator Fiscal (the prosecutor). Waiting room facilities are provided and there is a small public gallery in the court. There are no refreshment facilities.
On arrival at Dumfries Justice of the Peace Court for your hearing, you should report to the court officer, providing your name and the name of your solicitor. You will be asked to take a seat in the public gallery until your case calls.
The Court is situated in Dumfries town centre. It is 10 minutes walk from Dumfries train station (located on Lovers Walk) and 5 minutes walk from the main bus terminal on the Whitesands. Local car hire is available. There is free local parking, which uses a parking disc system. Parking discs are available from local newsagents and shops (on Buccleuch Street). Public parking can be found on Buccleuch Street, on Castle Street and on the Whitesands, where there is also private parking.
“Right from the start, you really listened to what I had to say. I’m not a dangerous driver and was angry to be accused of that. I am not used to courts and I felt I had no place in the criminal justice system.