Buildings in Alloa, Arbroath, Cupar, Dingwall, Dornoch, Duns, Haddington, Kirkcudbright, Peebles, Rothesay and Stonehaven have been earmarked for closure.

BBC: 'Unseen costs' of Scottish court closure plans

The list covers sheriff courts in Dornoch, Duns, Kirkcudbright, Peebles, Rothesay, Cupar, Dingwall, Arbroath, Haddington and Stonehaven, with their business transferred to other locations.

BBC: Further Scottish court closures considered

Other planning briefs going out for consultation include sites at Renwick Gardens and West Renwick Gardens in Morebattle and Todlaw playing fields in Duns.

BBC: Scottish Borders key property plan goals drawn up

The towns which suffered most included Duns, where figures fell by more than a quarter, and Selkirk, where numbers were down by nearly a third.

BBC: Selkirk

He downplayed concerns that someone in Eyemouth, in the south east, would struggle to travel by public transport more than 40 miles to Jedburgh if Duns court was closed.

BBC: Further Scottish court closures considered

John Lamont, Scottish Conservative MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, said proposals to close Duns and Peebles Sheriff Courts were "a massive blow to the justice system" in the Borders.

BBC: Shake-up recommends closure of 10 sheriff courts

But there are plenty of other authors who are a bit more careful or a bit more low key, and they will likely stay below the radar even of committed investigators like Duns.

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