Citation and commencement, etc.

1.-(1) This Act of Adjournal may be cited as the Act of Adjournal (Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 Amendment) (Miscellaneous) 2020.

(2) It comes into force on 25th March 2020.

(3) A certified copy is to be inserted in the Books of Adjournal.

Amendment of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995

2.-(1) The Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 75C (refixing diets: non-suitable days)(2)-

(a)subsection (2) is repealed;

(b)in subsection (3), for "subsections (1) and (2)" substitute "subsection (1)".

(3) After section 83 (transfer of sheriff court solemn proceedings)(3) insert-

"Transfer of sheriff court solemn proceedings within sheriffdom: power of sheriff principal

83ZA.  Where, because of exceptional circumstances which could not reasonably have been foreseen, it is not practicable for a sheriff court in a sheriffdom to proceed with some or all of the proceedings on indictment due to call at a diet, the sheriff principal may, of the sheriff principal's own accord, make an order for-

(a)the transfer of the proceedings to a sheriff court in any other district in that sheriffdom; and

(b)adjournment to a diet of that court.".

(4) After section 137A (transfer of sheriff court summary proceedings within sheriffdom)(4) insert-

"Transfer of sheriff court summary proceedings within sheriffdom: power of sheriff principal

137AA.  Where, because of exceptional circumstances which could not reasonably have been foreseen, it is not practicable for a sheriff court in a sheriffdom to proceed with some or all of the summary cases due to call at a diet, the sheriff principal may, of the sheriff principal's own accord, make an order for-

(a)the transfer of the proceedings to a sheriff court in any other district in that sheriffdom; and

(b)adjournment to a diet of that court.".

(5) Subsection (2) of section 137ZB (refixing diets: non-suitable days) (5) is repealed.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Act of Adjournal)

This Act of Adjournal amends the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 ("the 1995 Act") to permit the more efficient administration of court business and to allow, in exceptional circumstances, for reallocation by a sheriff principal of proceedings within a sheriffdom.

Paragraph 2(2) amends section 75C of the 1995 Act (refixing diets: non-suitable days) to permit the court to re-fix unsuitable diets in solemn proceedings administratively.

Paragraph 2(5) makes a similar amendment to section 137ZB in respect of summary proceedings.

Paragraph 2(3) inserts a new section 83ZA (transfer of sheriff court solemn proceedings within sheriffdom: power of sheriff principal) into the 1995 Act to permit a sheriff principal, in exceptional circumstances, to transfer solemn proceedings to another sheriff court within the sheriffdom.

Paragraph 2(4) inserts a new section 137AA (transfer of sheriff court summary proceedings within sheriffdom: power of sheriff principal) in respect of summary proceedings.