Forfar now carries the criminal business of the whole of Angus, and its roll reflects that: town-centre complaints from Forfar and Kirriemuir sit alongside cases from Arbroath, Montrose, Brechin and the farms and glens in between. If you have been charged, the practical questions are immediate ones — whether to be interviewed, what bail conditions you can live with, and whether the Crown can prove what it has libelled. Charles Ferguson Solicitors act for clients throughout Angus from our Glasgow office at 20-23 Woodside Place, G3 7QL. We answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0141 345 5735.
Forfar Sheriff Court
Criminal cases from across Angus are prosecuted at Forfar Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, Sheriff Court House, Market Street, Forfar DD8 3LA, in the Sheriffdom of Tayside, Central and Fife. The courthouse dates from 1871, sits on a hill to the north of the town just off Brechin Road, and its main courtroom retains a hammer-beam roof. Since the closure of Arbroath Sheriff Court in 2014 the whole of the county's court business has been concentrated here, and the court has been notably busy as a result. Both summary and solemn business is taken, jury trials are heard here, and the Justice of the Peace Court deals with lower-tariff summary complaints. The most serious charges go to the High Court of Justiciary.
Criminal Offences We Defend in Forfar
Rural and Agricultural Crime — theft of quad bikes, tractors, GPS units, tools and plant from farms across the Angus arable belt, together with related reset charges. Angus is one of Scotland's main soft fruit and seed potato areas, and disputes and allegations arising around seasonal labour on the berry farms are a recurring feature. Wildlife and Poaching Offences — hare coursing on the arable ground and charges arising on the sporting estates in the Angus glens. Assault — common assault through to assault to severe injury, including incidents in Forfar, Kirriemuir, Arbroath and Montrose town centres and in licensed premises. Drug Offences — possession, supply and being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs. Theft and Dishonesty — housebreaking, shoplifting, fraud and embezzlement. Domestic Abuse — charges under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, with bail conditions and non-harassment orders. Public Order — threatening or abusive behaviour under section 38. Weapons Offences — knives and offensive weapons, and firearms and shotgun certificate matters. Sexual Offences — charges under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.
Why Choose Charles Ferguson Solicitors in Forfar?
Concentrating a whole county's business into one courthouse has consequences for an accused. Diets are pressed, disclosure can be late, and there is real pressure on everyone to move cases along. None of that is a reason to plead to something the Crown cannot prove. We prepare Angus cases properly: recover the disclosure, test the corroboration, and where a rural charge turns on identification, timing or the movement of property across long distances, put those weaknesses squarely to the Crown. Our solicitors bring serious criminal defence experience from courts throughout Scotland. 24/7 Availability — call 0141 345 5735 at any hour. Legal Aid Specialists — we accept Legal Aid work and will check eligibility straight away. Police Station Attendance. Free Initial Consultation.
What to Do If You Are Charged in Forfar
If Police Scotland detain you anywhere in Angus, you are entitled to consult a solicitor in private before any interview takes place. Exercise that right and answer nothing until you have. If you have been released on an undertaking, or a citation has arrived from the Procurator Fiscal requiring you to appear at Forfar Sheriff Court, contact us as soon as you have the paperwork rather than waiting for the diet. Instructing early lets us obtain disclosure, assess what the Crown genuinely has, trace and speak to witnesses while recollections are fresh, and advise you realistically on plea and on any bail conditions that would cause you difficulty at work.
Areas Served Across Angus
We represent clients throughout Angus, including Forfar, Kirriemuir, Brechin, Montrose, Arbroath, Carnoustie, Monifieth, Friockheim, Letham, Glamis, Edzell, Inverkeilor, Tannadice, Newtyle and Meigle, together with the Angus glens. Cases regularly arise on the A90, the A92, the A926, the A932, the A933 and the A935. Wherever in the county the charge comes from, call 0141 345 5735.