| Court of Session | |
|---|---|
| Cùirt an t-Seisein | |
Parliament House, Edinburgh, home of the Court of Session | |
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| Established | 1532 |
| Jurisdiction | Scotland |
| Location | Parliament House, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Composition method | Appointment by the Monarch on the recommendation of the First Minister of Scotland |
| Authorized by | College of Justice Act 1532 |
| Appeals to | Supreme Court of the United Kingdom |
| Number of positions | 34 Senators of the College of Justice |
| Lord President | |
| Currently | Lord Carloway |
| Since | 2015 |
The Court of Session (Scottish Gaelic: Cùirt an t-Seisein) is the supreme civil court of Scotland. It is based in Parliament House, Edinburgh, and serves as both a court of first instance and a court of appeal. Together with the High Court of Justiciary (Scotland’s supreme criminal court), it forms part of the College of Justice established in 1532.
The Court of Session was established by the College of Justice Act 1532 during the reign of King James V of Scotland. It was modeled on European courts of the time, with influence from France and other civil law systems. Initially, the court included clerical members, but over time, it evolved into a professional judiciary dominated by legal experts.
Parliament House in Edinburgh has been the court's home since 1639, making it one of the oldest courts in continuous operation in the world.