Explanatory Notes

Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010

2010 asp 13

6 August 2010

Commentary on Sections

Part 6 - Disclosure

Section 121 – Prosecutor’s duty to disclose information

586.This section sets out the test by which information has to be disclosed to the accused under the statutory scheme in both solemn and summary cases. It provides that, where the accused appears for the first time in solemn proceedings, or where a plea of not guilty is recorded against the accused charged on summary complaint, the prosecutor has a duty to review all of the information of which the prosecutor is aware which may be relevant to the case for or against the accused. The prosecutor must then disclose to the accused any such information to which subsection (3) applies.

587.Subsection (3) sets out the rules which determine whether the information must be disclosed by the prosecutor. If subsection (3) applies to any of that information then the prosecutor must disclose all such information to the accused. If subsection (3) does not apply to any of that information, then the prosecutor need not disclose that information to the accused.