Section 8 (Appointment of justices)
28.Section 8 amends section 9 of the 1975 Act. Paragraph (a) inserts new subsections (2A) and (2B). Subsection (2A) requires that, at the time of appointment of a justice, the instrument of appointment shall specify whether the appointment is as a full justice or as a signing justice. Subsection (2B) enables a signing justice to subsequently be appointed as a full justice. Paragraph (b) inserts new subsections (8A) to (8C) which require the Scottish Ministers to comply with such pre-appointment procedures and consultation as may be prescribed in Regulations made by statutory instrument. The Regulations must be made under the affirmative procedure of the Scottish Parliament. Paragraph (c) inserts a new subsection (12) which defines the terms “full justice” and “signing justice”. A full justice is a justice of the peace who is qualified as a justice to do any act including any function of a judicial nature or to be a member of any committee or other body. A signing justice is qualified only to undertake a limited number of signing tasks as set out in section 15(9) of the 1975 Act.
