Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025

90 Sexual Offences Court records: authentication and electronic form

(1) A record of the Sexual Offences Court is authenticated by being signed by—

(a) a Judge of the Sexual Offences Court, or

(b) the Clerk of the Sexual Offences Court.

(2) A record authenticated in accordance with subsection (1), or a certified copy of such a record or of an extract of such a record, is sufficient evidence of the facts recorded in the record.

(3) The Sexual Offences Court may keep (and produce) records in electronic form.

(4) For the purposes of this section, a reference to a record or a copy of a record being signed or, as the case may be, certified, includes a reference to the record or copy being authenticated by means of—

(a) an electronic signature, or

(b) such other means of authentication as may be specified for that purpose by act of adjournal.

(5) Before making an act of adjournal under subsection (4)(b), the High Court of Justiciary must consult the Keeper of the Records of Scotland.

(6) In this section—

• “certified copy” means a copy certified by the Clerk of the Sexual Offences Court as a true copy,

• “electronic signature” is to be construed in accordance with section 7(2) of the Electronic Communications Act 2000, but includes a version of an electronic signature which is reproduced on a paper document,

• “record” means any interlocutor, decree, minute or other document by which the proceedings and decisions of the Sexual Offences Court are recorded.