The Scottish Government

Para.No.

CHAPTER 1 THE REMIT

1.1 - 1.4

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW STRATEGY

Review Team

2.1 - 2.4

Reference Group

2.5 - 2.6

Consultees

2.7 - 2.12

The Result

2.13

CHAPTER 3 THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICIARY

Introduction

3.1

Criminal Procedure

3.2 - 3.3

The Hierarchy of Criminal Courts

3.4 - 3.5

The History of the Court

3.6 - 3.9

CHAPTER 4 THE PROBLEM

Introduction

4.1

Volume of Business

4.2

Number of New Cases

4.3

Adjournment of Cases

4.4 - 4.14

CHAPTER 5 THE CAUSES

Identifying causes

5.1 - 5.2

Preparation and Intimation of the Prosecution Case - the Theory

5.3 - 5.8

Preparation and Intimation of the Prosecution Case - The Difficulties and Shortcomings in Practice

5.9 -5.16

Other Reasons for Adjournment

5.17

Lack of Communication between Defence and Crown

5.18 - 5.19

Notice to the Defence

5.20

Intimation of Defence Material

5.21

The Sittings System

5.22 - 5.23

Non-Availability of Counsel or Solicitor Advocate Instructed

5.24

Uncertainty in Programming of Cases

5.25 - 5.26

Criminal Legal Aid Rates

5.27

Experienced Counsel Leaving the Bar

5.28

Sanction for Legal Aid Expenditure

5.29 - 5.32

The Impact of Anderson v HMA

5.33

Non-Attendance of Key Personnel

5.34

Other Causes

5.35

Crown as Master of the Instance

6.1

The Procurator Fiscal Sitting Manager

6.2 - 6.5

Crown Internal Review of Management of High Court Sittings

6.6 - 6.9

The Current Management Role of the Court

6.10 - 6.11

Notice of January 2000

6.12 - 6.13

Memorandum of February 2002

6.14 - 6.15

Other Management Initiatives

6.16 - 6.18

Absence of Integrated Management Structure

6.19

The Ideal System

6.20

Future Management Role of the Court

6.21 - 6.22

Should Procedural Diet be Mandatory?

6.23 - 6.25

Past Experience of Procedural Diet

6.26

CHAPTER 7 FULLY INFORMING THE DEFENCE

Introduction

7.1

Investigating and Preparing the Defence Case

7.2

Witness Statements

7.3 - 7.5

The Role of the Prosecutor

7.6 - 7.7

Informing the Accused of the Likely Sentence

7.8

Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, section 196

7.9 - 7.11

Open Plea or Sentence Bargaining

7.12 - 7.14

Structured Sentence Discounting

7.15 - 7.17

Judicial Discretion in Sentencing

7.18 - 7.20

Strengthening Section 196

7.21

Additional sentencing possibility

7.22

CHAPTER 8 THE PRELIMINARY DIET

The Name

8.1 - 8.2

The Purpose of the Preliminary Diet

8.3 - 8.5

Preparation for the Preliminary Diet

8.6 - 8.7

Notices of Uncontroversial Evidence

8.8 - 8.9

Defence Note

8.10

Pre-Preliminary Diet Meeting

8.11

Duty to Try to Agree Evidence

8.12

The Issues Which May be Raised

8.13

Calculation of Periods of Notice

8.14

Hearing Disputes about the Admissibility of Evidence

8.15 - 8.20

Appeal against Decisions Made at Preliminary Diet

8.21

CHAPTER 9 THE TIMING OF THE PRELIMINARY DIET AND TIME LIMITS

The 110-Day Rule

9.1

The 80-Day Rule

9.2

Extending the 110-Day Period in Current Practice

9.3

Time Between Service of Indictment and Preliminary Diet

9.4 - 9.6

The 110-Day Period in Future

9.7 - 9.8

Safeguarding the Rights of the Accused

9.9 - 9.11

Extending the 140-Day Period

9.12

The 12-Month Rule

9.13

A 9-Month Rule

9.14 - 9.15

Accommodating Extremely Complex Cases

9.16

Extending Time Limits in other Circumstances

9.17 - 9.20

Sanction for Breach of the 140-Day Rule

9.21

CHAPTER 10 THE LOCATION OF THE HIGH COURT

Territorial Jurisdiction

10.1

The Tradition of Sitting on Circuit

10.2 - 10.3

Where Should Cases be Heard

10.4 - 10.7

Aberdeen

10.8 - 10.9

Perth, Forfar and Dundee

10.10 - 10.13

The Possibility of Sitting in Other Courts

10.14

Transfer of Cases to Other Courts

10.15 - 10.17

CHAPTER 11 THE PRELIMINARY DIET COURT

Where Should Preliminary Diets be Held

11.1 - 11.5

Managing the Business of the Preliminary Diet Court

11.6 - 11.7

Establishing the Judge's New Role

11.8 - 11.9

The Timing of the Preliminary Diet

11.10

Programming Trial Diets

11.11 - 11.17

Trials Which Cannot Proceed

11.18 - 11.19

Trial in Absence of Accused

11.20

Training

11.21

CHAPTER 12 THE HIGH COURT IN GLASGOW

Background

12.1 - 12.2

The Current Practice in Glasgow

12.3

Full-time Clerks

12.4 - 12.10

Procurator Fiscal Sitting Manager

12.11

Faculty of Advocates - Administrative Support

12.12

Judges

12.13 - 12.15

Temporary Judges

12.16 - 12.18

CHAPTER 13 THE CASELOAD

What Cases does the Court Currently Hear

13.1 - 13.2

The Historical Development of the Caseload of the Court

13.3 - 13.5

What Cases Should the High Court Hear

13.6

Pressure of Business

13.7

The Sentencing Power of the Sheriff

13.8 - 13.12

The Appropriate Limit

13.13 - 13.17

Preparing for the Change

13.18 - 13.19

The Sheriff's Power to Remit a Case to the High Court for Sentence

13.20 - 13.22

CHAPTER 14 RESOURCES

Definition

14.1

The Crown

14.2 - 14.3

Funding the Defence

14.4

The Position of Counsel

14.5 - 14.9

The Fee for the Preliminary Diet

14.10 - 14.12

Quality Assurance

14.13

The Position of Solicitors

14.14 - 14.15

Sanction for the Employment of Counsel and Solicitor Advocate

14.16

Crown Counsel

14.17

Solicitors Appearing in the High Court

14.18 - 14.21

Remuneration of Crown Counsel

14.22 - 14.24

CHAPTER 15 ARRANGING THE ATTENDANCE OF ACCUSED, WITNESSES AND JURORS

Introduction

15.1-15.3

Attendance of Accused in Custody

15.4

Eliminating Unnecessary Attendance

15.5 - 15.6

Adjourning for Sentence

15.7 - 15.8

Transport Arrangements

15.9 - 15.12

Attendance of Accused on Bail

15.13 - 15.17

Witnesses

15.18

The Current Arrangements for Citing Witnesses

15.19 - 15.21

Citation of Witnesses in Future

15.22 - 15.28

Reluctant Witnesses

15.29 - 15.30

Witness Intending to Abscond

15.31 - 15.36

Countermanding Witnesses

15.37 - 15.38

Attendance of Witnesses on First and Subsequent Days of a Trial

15.39 - 15.40

Information about Witness Availability at Preliminary Diet

15.41 - 15.42

Jurors

15.43 - 15.44

The Current Arrangements for the Attendance of Jurors

15.45

Future Arrangements for the Attendance of Jurors

15.46 - 15.48

Jury Excusals

15.49

Management of the Jury

15.50

The Court Day

15.51

CHAPTER 16 SUPPORT FOR PARTIES IN COURT

Background

16.1 - 16.3

Services to Witnesses and Victims

16.4

The Witness Service

16.5

The Victim Information and Advice Scheme

16.6

Keeping Witnesses Informed of Progress in Court

16.7

Accommodation for Victims, Next of Kin and Vulnerable Witnesses

16.8 - 16.9

Arrangements for the Evidence of Vulnerable Witnesses

16.10 - 16.13

Further Arrangements for the Evidence of Children

16.14 - 16.15

Sensory Impairment and Physical Disability

16.16 - 16.18

Ensuring Judicial Awareness of Vulnerability

16.19

Interpretation

16.20 - 16.22

CHAPTER 17 DEVOLUTION ISSUES

Introduction

17.1 - 17.2

Devolution Issue as a Constitutional Question

17.3 - 17.9

Devolution Issues as a Source of Delay

17.10 - 17.14

CHAPTER 18 MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES

Background

18.1

Forensic Scientists and Pathologists

18.2 - 18.5

Background Reports

18.6 - 18.8

CHAPTER 19 POSTSCRIPT

19.1 - 19.5

CHAPTER 20 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C

APPENDIX D

APPENDIX E