New temporary sheriff principal announced for Highlands

Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald is set to act as temporary sheriff principal of Grampian, Highlands and Islands.

Following the retirement of Principal Derek Pyle’s retirement Sheriff Macdonald will act until such time as a permanent replacement is appointed.

There are six sheriffs principal in Scotland. Each sits as the administrative head of a different court area called a sheriffdom.

Although sheriffs principal can preside over any sheriff court business, they mainly deal with appeals in summary criminal cases and sheriff court civil cases heard in the Sheriff Appeal Court.

Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald was appointed as Summary sheriff at Peterhead Sheriff Court in 2016 and then as a sheriff in 2017, initially based at Fort William Sheriff Court before moving to Inverness.

A graduate of the University of Dundee and following a traineeship with Macleod & MacCallum Solicitors, sheriff MacDonald became a senior legal assistant with Forrest & Co in 1998 and then a partner with Simpson MacDonald Solicitors in 1999.

Sheriff MacDonald was the head of office and Solicitor for the Public Defence Solicitor’s Office in Inverness from 2004 and then became a fee paid judge for the then First Tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber in 2013.

Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle announced earlier this year he would be retiring in June following 13 years as Sheriff Principal and over 25 years as a Sheriff.

He was a member of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland for 6 years and was one of the founding members of the Scottish Courts Service (now the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service) Board.