Commentary on Sections Appeals to the sheriff principal and Court of Session Section 165 – Appeals to the sheriff principal and Court of Session: contact and permanence orders
239.This section provides a further appeal, by stated case, to the sheriff principal or the Court of Session, against the decision of the sheriff under section 161 (an appeal against the decision of a contact review hearing for persons who are not relevant persons but hold a contact or permanence order in respect of the child, or a person who meets the conditions specified using the order-making power in section 126(2)(b)). This mirrors the appeal route for other appeals against decisions of the sheriff throughout the Act. The decision of the sheriff principal may be appealed to the Court of Session but leave to appeal must first be granted. The appeal may be made on a point of law or in respect of any procedural irregularity. Subsection (6) provides that the court must remit the case back to the sheriff for disposal. Subsection (7) provides that a determination of an appeal by the Court of Session is final.