SHERIFFS COURT. A Scotch tribunal, corresponding to the county court of England and of the American States. It takes its name from the title of the presiding magistrate—the sheriff (q.v.)—whose judicial functions in Scot land have increased rather than diminished dur ing modern times. Until 1748 the office of sheriff was hereditary in that country, but with the suppression of the Jacobite rising it was made appointive, and its judicial duties are now performed by the sheriff depute and the sheriff substitute. Both officials are appointed by the Crown. and their salaries are a charge upon the civil establishment. The former must he an advocate of three years' standing, the latter an advocate or solicitor of five years' standing, and both hold their office during life or good behavior.
Most civil cases of first instance in this court are heard by the sheriff substitute, who resides permanently in the county for which he is appointed. From his decisions an appeal lies
either to the sheriff depute or the Court of Ses sion. Preliminary investigations into crime and summary criminal proceedings are generally brought before the sheriff substitute; while all criminal causes remitted by the counsel for the Crown to the Sheriff's Court for trial by jury are heard by the sheriff depute. From his decision in such eases an appeal lies to the Court of Jus ticiary. The civil jurisdiction of the Sheriff's Court extends to personal actions upon obliga tions without limit as to amount; to actions for the recovery of real estate, limited in the case of heritable estates to the value of £1000; to questions of servitude, nuisance, and various other matters. Consult Wilson, Practice of the Sheriff's Courts of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1890).