This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Booklet outlines alternatives to court
27/07/2004
New advice on how to resolve disputes without resorting to court action has been launched.
The booklets provide a useful guide to the many ways that different types of complaints can be handled without the time and expense of legal action. They include information on the many different places where people can get advice on resolving disputes and other useful contacts.
Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry said:
"I fully recognise that going to court can be a stressful, time-consuming and expensive process and I'm happy to spread the message that there are other ways of dealing with disputes whether it is with a neighbour or an organisation or with family members.
"This booklet can be seen as a short-cut to some of the excellent advice and assistance that we have in Scotland and to allow people to decide on whether court is the right option for their circumstances."
- There were over 115,000 civil cases in Sheriff Courts in Scotland in 2002.
- Research conducted for the Executive from Stirling University in 2003 stated that the cost of pressing neighbour disputes in court can range from £200 to over £2500 per case
The Minister was backed by Ewan Malcolm, of the Scottish Mediation Network whose organisation connects people in difficulties to mediation services throughout Scotland.
Mr Malcolm said:
"Disagreements are part of every day life. So, we welcome this helpful booklet which signposts the range of options that can resolve these disputes. It encourages direct negotiation and if that gets stuck, suggests useful alternatives, like mediation, leaving the Court as the last resort."
The booklets will be distributed to Citizen's Advice Bureaux, Sheriff Courts, mediation services and voluntary bodies.