District Court - End of an Era

**cessna152towser** · 15th November 07, 02:24 PM

Kilted up tonight in Glasgow University tartan for a civic reception organised by Scottish Borders Council as a thankyou to those of us who have served in the Magistrates Courts service. Many of the Justices of the Peace and staff, including myself, will be retiring from the service on the unification of the Scottish Courts, whereby the District Court service will in future be run by Scottish Courts Administration which already runs the Sheriff Courts, High Court and Court of Session, and the Council will have no future involvement. This means I will finish sitting as Magistrates Clerk/Assessor at Duns at the end of February.

The Council Convener, Alasdair Hutton thanked us all for our service. Alasdair Hutton is better known as a BBC newsreader and as Master of Ceremonies to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo since 1992.

The Chairman of Scottish Borders Justices presents a retiring Justice of the Peace with flowers.

After we had been fed, we were treated to a concert from Peebles High School orchestra, conducted by Jenny McKee.

Here is a short video clip of the sixteen piece orchestra playing that well known Cab Calloway number, Minnie the Moocher.

**ccga3359** · 15th November 07, 03:10 PM

Are you retiring completely Alex or will you be doing some other court related function?

**cessna152towser** · 15th November 07, 03:33 PM

Are you retiring completely Alex or will you be doing some other court related function?

I will be winding down my practice over the next year with a view to retiring completely at the end of October 2008. The soaring cost of professional indemnity insurance puts a major squeeze in profitability as does the cost of employing a carer to look in on Ann while I'm away working.