Stirling Sheriff Court — Road Traffic Cases
Motoring prosecutions from the Stirling district are heard at Stirling Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court, Sheriff Court House, Viewfield Place, Stirling FK8 1NH, in the Sheriffdom of Tayside, Central and Fife. Routine summary motoring business — speeding, careless driving, insurance and licence offences — is generally taken in the Justice of the Peace Court, which has sat in the same building since 2009, while drink driving, dangerous driving and cases prosecuted on indictment call before a sheriff. Where a collision has caused a death, the charge of causing death by dangerous driving is prosecuted in the High Court of Justiciary. We appear across all of these courts.
Motoring Offences We Defend in Stirling
Drink Driving and Drug Driving — Scotland's limit of 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood is the lowest in the United Kingdom, and drivers who would be well within the limit in England are convicted here every week. We examine Intoximeter calibration and maintenance records, the procedure followed at the police station, and whether the hip flask defence is available on the facts. Dangerous Driving — conviction brings disqualification for at least 12 months and a compulsory extended retest; on the A84 and A81, overtaking allegations behind slow-moving tourist and agricultural traffic frequently turn on the line between dangerous and careless driving. Careless Driving — a question of degree worth arguing rather than conceding. Speeding — the A9 north of Dunblane is covered by average speed cameras, and the M9, M80, A91, A811 and A872 are all enforced; we check device type approval and calibration and whether a Notice of Intended Prosecution was served within 14 days. Totting Up and Exceptional Hardship — at 12 penalty points disqualification for at least 6 months is mandatory unless exceptional hardship is proved on evidence. Driving Without Insurance — 6 to 8 penalty points or discretionary disqualification. Mobile Phone Offences — 6 penalty points. Driving While Disqualified — a charge carrying a real risk of custody.