Editing Sheriff (section)

====Scotland====
{{Main|Sheriff court|Sheriff principal}}
In [[Scotland]] the sheriff is a [[judge|judicial office holder]] in the [[sheriff court]]s, and they are members of the [[judiciary of Scotland]].<ref name="scottishsheriffs">{{cite web|title=Sheriffs - Judicial Office Holders - About the Judiciary - Judiciary of Scotland|url=http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/36/0/Sheriffs|website=www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk|publisher=Judicial Office for Scotland|access-date=3 April 2017|language=en|date=2017|archive-date=17 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817210101/http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/36/0/Sheriffs|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=====''Sheriffs principal''=====
The most senior sheriffs are the [[sheriff principal|sheriffs principal]], who have administrative as well as judicial authority in the six [[sheriffdom]]s, and are responsible for the effective running and administration of all the sheriff courts in their jurisdiction. Sheriffs principal also sit as appeal sheriffs in the [[Sheriff Appeal Court]]; hearing appeals against [[sentence (law)|sentencing]] and [[conviction]] from [[summary offence|summary trials]] in the sheriff courts and [[justice of the peace court]]s.<ref name="profileprincipal">{{cite web|author1=Judicial Office for Scotland|title=The Office of Sheriff Principal|url=https://www.judicialappointments.scot/sites/default/files/files/information_pages/The%20Office%20of%20Sheriff%20Principal.doc|website=www.judicialappointments.scot|publisher=Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland|access-date=4 April 2017|date=March 2016|archive-date=30 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230011832/https://www.judicialappointments.scot/sites/default/files/files/information_pages/The%20Office%20of%20Sheriff%20Principal.doc|url-status=dead}}</ref> The additional duties of a sheriff principal include being [[Northern Lighthouse Board|Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouse Board]] (which is the [[general lighthouse authority]] for Scotland), and chairing local criminal justice boards which bring together local representatives of [[Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service|procurator fiscal]], [[Police Scotland]] and [[Community Justice Scotland]], and [[Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service]].<ref name="NLB">{{cite web|title=Schedule 8 of Merchant Shipping Act 1995|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/21/schedule/8|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|publisher=The National Archives|access-date=2 April 2017|language=en|date=19 July 1995}}</ref><ref name="localboards">{{cite web|title=Local Criminal Justice Boards|url=http://www.gov.scot/Topics/archive/law-order/Local|website=www.gov.scot|publisher=Scottish Government|access-date=2 April 2017|language=en|date=3 April 2006|archive-date=25 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125025441/http://www.gov.scot/Topics/archive/law-order/Local|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=====''Sheriffs''=====
Sheriffs deal with the majority of civil and criminal court cases in Scotland, with the power to preside in [[solemn proceedings]] with a [[Trial by jury in Scotland|jury of 15]] for [[indictable offence]]s and sitting alone in summary proceedings for [[summary offence]]s. A sheriff must be [[legal education|legally qualified]], and have been qualified as an [[Faculty of Advocates|advocate]] or [[Law Society of Scotland|solicitor]] for at least 10 years. The maximum sentencing power of sheriff in summary proceedings is 12 months [[imprisonment]], or a [[fine (penalty)|fine]] of up to £10,000. In solemn proceedings the maximum sentence is 5 years imprisonment, or an unlimited fine.<ref name="scottishsheriffs" />

Sheriffs also preside over [[fatal accident inquiry|fatal accident inquiries]] which are convened to examine the circumstances around sudden or suspicious deaths, including those who die in the course of employment, in [[Detention (imprisonment)|custody]], or in secure accommodation.<ref name=FAI1976>{{cite web| url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1976/14 | title=Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976 | publisher=Legislation.gov.uk | date=13 April 1976 | access-date=19 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="FAI">{{cite web|author1=Judicial Office for Scotland|title=The Office of Sheriff|url=https://www.judicialappointments.scot/sites/default/files/files/information_pages/The%20Office%20of%20Sheriff.doc|website=Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland|access-date=4 April 2017|page=9|language=en|format=DOC|quote=34) The sheriff is required to make certain findings and is empowered to make recommendations to avoid a recurrence of the incident.|archive-date=30 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230071915/https://www.judicialappointments.scot/sites/default/files/files/information_pages/The%20Office%20of%20Sheriff.doc|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=====''Summary sheriffs''=====
[[Summary sheriff]]s hear [[civil case]]s brought under Simple Procedure and criminal cases brought under summary proceedings. Their sentencing powers are identical to a sheriff sitting in summary proceedings.<ref name="summarysheriffs">{{cite web|title=Summary Sheriffs - Judicial Office Holders - About the Judiciary - |website=Judiciary of Scotland|url=http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/39/0/Summary-Sheriffs|publisher=Judicial Office for Scotland|access-date=3 April 2017|language=en|date=2017|archive-date=3 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403111308/http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/39/0/Summary-Sheriffs|url-status=dead}}</ref>