Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SENTENCE-MONEY, n.comb. A fee, assessed at a percentage of the sum decreed for and payable by the litigants in a case to the Sheriff Depute of a county, who had no salary, for his services in adjudication. Abolished by the Heritable Jurisdiction Act of 1747 when Sheriffs became salaried officials of the Crown. See Sheriff.Sc. 1747 Acts of Sederunt (1790) 397:
Sheriffs and stewards have at present no other legal reward, for doing their duty, than sentence-money, which is a sort of poundage out of the sums decreed for.