58Sheriff principal’s responsibility
(1)The Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 6) is amended as follows.
(2)For section 61 substitute—
“61Efficient disposal of business in JP courts
(1)The sheriff principal of each sheriffdom is responsible for securing the efficient disposal of business in JP courts in that sheriffdom.
(2)If, in carrying out that responsibility, the sheriff principal gives a direction of an administrative character to a person mentioned in subsection (3), the person must comply with the direction.
(3)Those persons are—
(a)a justice of the peace, or stipendiary magistrate, appointed for the sheriffdom,
(b)a member of staff of the Scottish Court Service.
(4)Subsections (1) and (2) are subject to section 2(2)(a) and (3) of the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008 (asp 6) (which make the Head of the Scottish Judiciary responsible for maintaining arrangements for securing the efficient disposal of business in the Scottish courts and require compliance with directions given in pursuance of that responsibility).”.
(3)In section 74(3) (pre-condition for appointment of stipendiary magistrate), for the words “administration of” substitute “disposal of business in”.