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Appointment of sheriffs
06/03/2009
Her Majesty the Queen, on the recommendation of the First Minister, has appointed Mr John McCormick and Mr Thomas McCartney as all-Scotland floating sheriffs based in Glasgow and Falkirk respectively.
The First Minister nominated Mr McCormick and Mr McCartney for appointment on the basis of a report by the independent Judicial Appointments Board.
They will both have commissions enabling them to serve when required throughout Scotland's sheriff courts, but in practice Mr McCormick will be expected to sit mostly in the Sheriffdom of Glasgow and Strathkelvin and Mr McCartney in the Sheriffdom of Tayside Central and Fife.
Mr McCormick (49) graduated from the University of Dundee in 1982. He also gained a Diploma in Legal Practice in 1983, an MBA in 1989, a NITA course at Harvard Law School in 1998, and an LLM in 1999. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1984 and since 1993 he has been a solicitor advocate in the High Court and a part-time sheriff since 2003.
Mr McCartney (50) graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1979. In 1981 he was admitted as a solicitor and a solicitor advocate in 2004. He was accredited as Family Law Mediator in 1996, a Family Law Specialist in 1999 and granted extended rights of audience in civil cases in 2004. Since July 2005 Mr McCartney has also been serving as a part-time sheriff.
The salary of a sheriff is £126,400 per annum.
The Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland was established by Ministers in 2002. The Board is an independent advisory body whose role is to recommend for appointment to the office of judge, sheriff principal, sheriff and part-time sheriff. The First Minister retains the statutory responsibility for making nominations to Her Majesty the Queen. The First Minister is required by statute to consult the Lord President of the Court of Session before making his nomination to Her Majesty.