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Sheriff Appointments
27/06/2000
Ministers have today announced the transfer of three permanent Sheriffs to fill posts at Ayr, Glasgow and Edinburgh Sheriff Courts.
These vacancies arose following the elevation of Sheriff Robin McEwan to Senator of the College of Justice, the transfer of Sheriff Kevin Drummond to courts in the borders and the forthcoming retiral of Sheriff Daphne Robertson.
Before the First Minister made his decisions, there was consultation with the Lord President of the Court of Session, the Sheriffs Principal, the Lord Advocate and the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates.
Sheriff J McGowan, presently a Sheriff at Glasgow, will transfer to Ayr and be succeeded by Sheriff F L Reith, QC, currently a Sheriff of Tayside Central and Fife at Perth. Sheriff D M MacNeill, QC, who is currently an All-Scotland Floating Sheriff based at Glasgow, will fill the Glasgow vacancy. Sheriff J D Allan, presently Sheriff of South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway at Lanark will transfer to Edinburgh.
As a consequence of these moves, there will be vacancies arising for resident Sheriffs in Perth and Lanark and an All-Scotland Floating post which will be based in Glasgow. A notice advertising these vacancies will issue shortly.
BACKGROUND
These are all voluntary transfers of Sheriffs wishing a move. Some background on the individuals is given below:
Sheriff John McGowan (56) Appointed as Sheriff of Glasgow and Strathkelvin at Glasgow in 1993, having served as a Temporary Sheriff from 1986. Prior to his appointment as Sheriff at Glasgow, he was Vice-Dean of Ayr Faculty of Solicitors and held positions on the Council of the Law Society of Scotland, the Ayr Legal Aid Committee and was a former member of the DSS Appeal Tribunal.
Sheriff Deirdre M MacNeill QC (46) Appointed as All-Scotland Floating Sheriff based at Glasgow in May 1999, having served as a Temporary Sheriff since 1987. Sheriff MacNeill was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1981 and took Silk in 1994.
Sheriff Fiona L Reith QC (44) Appointed as Sheriff of Tayside Central and Fife at Perth in March 1999, having served as a Temporary Sheriff in 1998. Admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1983, she served as Standing Junior Counsel for the Home Office in Scotland from 1989-1992 and Standing Junior to the Scottish Office Environment Department between 1992 and 1995. She is a former member of the Sheriff Court Rules Council and took Silk in 1996.
Sheriff J Douglas Allan (58) Appointed as Sheriff of South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway at Lanark in 1988. Sheriff Allan served as Secretary of the Sheriffs' Association before becoming Vice President in 1998. He was appointed member of the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration in 1995.
News Release: SE1884/2000
27 Jun 2000