The Hume Papers are short expositions on topical issues related to legal and economic matters. The focus of this collection is on the procedural arrangements that govern the progress of cases through civil courts. It includes a general consideration of what one should expect from a system of civil justice, a discussion of the impact of recent reforms in the sheriff courts, and views on current practice and the scope for further reform elsewhere in the system. The papers are written in the context of the Scottish legal system but also cover broader issues that arise when procedural reform is considered.