Telling the court about your access needs
Tell the court if you need help to take part in a hearing.
Courts in Scotland must make reasonable adjustments for you if you’re disabled.
Contacting the court
Contact the court by phone, email or in writing to tell them what you need.
The court’s contact details will be on any of the letters they have sent you.
You can also find contact details for a court on scotcourts.gov.uk.
Help to get into the building
Some court proceedings take place in person.
The court should provide help to get into the building. When you contact them, tell them what you need. This could be:
a ramp instead of stairs
a lift to reach other floors
level access to the entrance
Help to take part
The court must make some adjustments to help you take part. This could be for remote court appearances or in person.
These could include:
asking for letters to be sent in large print
a hearing loop system if you use a hearing aid
a sign language interpreter
a spoken English interpreter
a separate quiet room for a break
Bringing someone for support
You may be able to bring a friend, relative or colleague with you for support. This is called a courtroom supporter.
They cannot represent you in court, but they can:
sit with you in court
give you support
help you with court documents and other papers
take notes
Tell the court in advance if you want to bring a courtroom supporter.
Getting more help
If you’re not sure what to tell the court, you can contact the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service:
The staff cannot answer questions about your case or defence but they can help with information on access needs.
Last updated: 22 December 2025
Housing laws differ between Scotland and England.
This content applies to Scotland only.