Monday 24 August 2026
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New sheriff appointed to cover Lerwick Sheriff Court

JENNIFER Gear has been appointed to the role of sheriff at Lerwick Sheriff Court from Monday 7 September.

She will cover the sheriffdom of Grampian, Highlands and Islands from next month, the Judiciary of Scotland said.

Jennifer Gear.

His Majesty has appointed her to the office of sheriff on the recommendation of first minister John Swinney.

Gear graduated from the University of Glasgow with LLB (Hons), thereafter obtaining the diploma in legal practice from the University of Dundee.

She relocated to Shetland and started working at Harper Macleod in 2016, becoming a partner in 2022.

She subsequently moved to Shetland Islands Council, undertaking education and social work law.

Gear has been a member of the National Safeguarders Panel, a child welfare reporter at Lerwick and Kirkwall sheriff courts and a board member of Relationship Scotland Shetland.

No full-time appointment has been made to Lerwick Sheriff Court since Sheriff Ian Cruickshank departed last year, with a number of sheriffs covering Lerwick in the months since.

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