Sheriff officer
Deliver official orders from the Scottish law courts to instruct a person to attend court, pay their debts or leave a property.
Also known as: messenger-at-arms, enforcement officer, enforcement agent, bailiff
About the job
What it's like
You would deliver official orders from the Scottish law courts to instruct a person to attend court, pay their debts or leave a property.
As a sheriff officer you would work on behalf of the sheriff courts in one of six regions of Scotland.
Once you have worked for some time as a sheriff officer you could becomes a messenger-at-arms. You would then be an officer of the Court of Session – the supreme civil court in Scotland – and would work throughout Scotland.
As a sheriff officer or messenger at arms you would personally deliver orders from the court to individuals, making sure that you hand the documents to the named person.
You could be dealing with people who may be upset and angry. You will need to be assertive to make sure they understand why the court has taken this action but make sure that the situation stays calm.
The court papers will instruct the person to do something, for example, to leave a house when they have not paid the rent for a long time.
You would:
Deliver citations which order the person to attend court
Deliver documents which order a person to pay their debts
Talk to people about making arrangements to pay their debts
Serve court orders related to family matters like adoption and divorce
Remove someone from a property in cases of domestic violence
Take a child from a property in custody disputes or cases of child abuse
Take away goods and repossess property
At all times you would have to adhere to the law and follow strict guidelines on what you’re allowed to do.
Hours
You would work around 37 to 40 hours a week in a full-time job. You must be flexible and able to cover early mornings, evenings and weekends. Part-time work is possible. You would often work on your own and sometimes as part of a small team. You may work as an employed bailiff, or be self-employed. You can be self-employed whilst still getting your work through a debt collection agency.
Environment
You would have an office base but would spend most of your time travelling to visit people who owe money. The job often involves lifting and carrying goods.
Travel
You would spend most of your time travelling to contact people. Employers may ask for a full clean driving licence and use of a car for work.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- appeals
- built environment
- job evaluation
- planning permission
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- negotiating
- reliable
- ethical
- taking initiative
- empathising
- working with technology
- verbal communication
- reading
- cooperating
- resilience
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
People and Society
Skills for Work: Uniformed and Emergency Services
You'll need qualifications in English and maths at SCQF Level 4 or above.
Once in a job, you'll complete a three-year traineeship through the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers. This would include passing the sheriff officers exam.
Qualifications that show an ability to work with the public, deal with difficult situations and physical fitness such as Skills for Work Uniformed and Emergency Services.
Some employers require you to have a driving licence.
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