The Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland was established on an administrative basis by the Scottish Ministers in 2002. The Board became an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) on the 1st June 2009 under the provisions of the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008. Its remit is to provide to the Scottish Ministers recommendations for appointment to judicial office based on merit.
The Board is responsible for recommending individuals suitable for appointment to the following judicial offices:
Court
- Senator of the College of Justice
- Chair of the Scottish Land Court
- Sheriff Principal
- Sheriff
- Part-time Sheriff
- Summary Sheriff
- Temporary Judge, except in cases where the individual to be appointed already holds or has held one of the following offices:
- Judge of the European Court
- Judge of the European Court of Human Rights
- Chair of the Scottish Land Court
- Sheriff Principal
- Sheriff
Scottish Tribunals
- Vice-President of the Upper Tribunal
- Chamber President in the First-tier Tribunal
- Deputy Chamber President in the First-tier Tribunal
- Ordinary member or legal member of the First-tier Tribunal or the Upper Tribunal
The Scottish Ministers may specify other judicial offices to come within the Board's remit but can only do so by laying a Scottish Statutory Instrument before the Scottish Parliament.