How Coronavirus will impact your case

UPDATED 26 April 2022

We continue to follow Scottish Government Covid guidelines and will only ask clients to attend face to face meetings within our office or court appearances if it’s essential to make progress in your case and provides the best possible service for you as our client.

If you are asked to attend an appointment we will send you our visitor guidance on the safety measures we have in place to prevent the spread of Covid.

You can still speak to your solicitor and get updates on your case by phoning or by emailing.

Please see our contact page for more details on our offices’ contact details and how to get in touch with us.

To make sure we have your up to date phone number and email address please contact the office dealing with your case as soon as possible.

The courts in Scotland are still operating in a restricted way because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This means that, at certain stages of a case, you may not have to attend court. For example:

• If you have received a CITATION in the post let us know and we will deal with it for you.  You do not have to go to court, at this stage, IF you have told us about it
• If you were RELEASED ON BAIL BY THE POLICE with a date to attend at court you MUST be at court on that date
• If you have an INTERMEDIATE DIET go to court UNLESS your PDSO solicitor has told you otherwise
• If you have a FIRST DIET go to court UNLESS your PDSO solicitor has told you otherwise
• If you have a PRELIMINARY HEARING in the High Court do not go to court UNLESS your PDSO solicitor has told you otherwise. In some cases you can participate in the preliminary hearing by video conference by coming to the PDSO office dealing with your case. Your PDSO solicitor will give you advice about this
• If you have a date for TRIAL go to court UNLESS your PDSO solicitor has told you otherwise
• If you have a DATE FOR COURT WHEN YOU WILL BE SENTENCED you MUST be at court on that date.
• If you have a COMMUNITY PAYBACK ORDER REVIEW, RESTRICTION OF LIBERTY ORDER REVIEW or a DRUG TREATMENT AND TESTING ORDER REVIEW go to court UNLESS your PDSO solicitor has told you otherwise.
• If you have an APPEAL you do not go to court.
• If you have an application for BAIL REVIEW do not go to court.

The information above is only a guide. In some circumstances, for certain cases, court hearings will be treated differently.

Your PDSO solicitor will be able to give specific advice relating to the particular circumstances of your case.

So please stay in contact with the PDSO office dealing with your case and if your contact details, or address, changes please let us know.