Saturday, May 18, 2013

Solicitor William Murray Wood appointed as £130K a year floating Sheriff of Tayside, Central & Fife

Solicitor William Murray Wood has been appointed as a floating sheriff of Tayside, Central and Fife by Her Majesty the Queen. First Minister Alex Salmond nominated Mr Wood for appointment on the basis of a report by the independent Judicial Appointments Board.

Mr Wood will take up his appointment, based at Stirling, on 17 June 2013.

Mr Wood graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1985. Following a spell as an officer in The Gordon Highlanders, he trained with MacNeill & Critchley and he was admitted as a solicitor in 1991. Thereafter, he pursued a general court practice and he was a partner with J Watson Scott & Co. Mr Wood became a Part-time Immigration Judge in 2001 and, among other judicial appointments, sits as a Deputy Judge of the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) and as a Part-time Sheriff.

The salary of a sheriff is £129,579 per annum.

The Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland was established by Ministers in 2002 and it became an independent advisory non-departmental public body on 1st June 2009. The board has statutory responsibilities under the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008. The board’s role is to recommend for appointment to the office of judge, sheriff principal, sheriff and part-time sheriff.  The First Minister retains the statutory responsibility for making nominations to Her Majesty the Queen.  The First Minister is required by statute to consult the Lord President of the Court of Session before making his nomination to Her Majesty.

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