Under Scots law, the Department must prepare the prosecution in the most serious custody cases under one of the strictest legal time limits in the world. The indictment, which details the charges which the accused will face, must be served on him within 80 days of the accused being fully committed in custody.
Sheriff Court Cases
Where the proceedings are taken before a jury in the Sheriff Court, the trial must start within 110 days of full committal. A First Diet must take place not less than 10 days before the trial. That calling of the case gives the Sheriff an opportunity to ascertain the state of preparation of the parties generally, and he will only allow the matter to proceed to trial when the parties are ready.
High Court Cases
The procedure and time limits which apply are slightly different in High Court cases. There, the next step after full committal is the preliminary hearing which must occur within 110 days from the point of full committal. This Hearing gives the judge, among other things, a chance to ascertain the state of preparation of the parties, and he will only allow the matter to proceed to trial when the parties are ready. As with the time limits in Sheriff court cases, this helps to provide a degree of certainty as to when the trial will take place and avoids witnesses turning up at court only to find that the trial has been adjourned to another date. The trial in custody cases must begin within 140 days.
The Prosecution Timeline