<P> A higher sentence in solemn cases may be imposed upon remittance of the case to the High Court of Justiciary . </P> <P> The Justice of the Peace Court is a criminal court which sits locally under summary procedure, where the Justice sits alone or in some areas as a bench of three . Justices are lay magistrates who as advised by a legally qualified clerk, known as the legal adviser . The court handles a variety of minor common law crimes such as breach of the peace, theft and assault, as well as statutory offences such as vandalism, road traffic offences and other public order offences . The maximum penalty which can be imposed at this level is 60 days' imprisonment or a fine up to £ 2,500 . </P> <P> Scotland has several courts with specialist jurisdictions . </P> <P> The specialist system of Children's Hearings handles the majority of cases involving allegations of criminal conduct involving persons under 16 in Scotland . These tribunals have wide - ranging powers to issue supervision orders for the person referred to them by the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration . Serious crimes, at the direction of the Procurator Fiscal, are still dealt with in the usual criminal courts . </P>

Where are the youth cases heard in scotland