(1)All indictments which have been raised by a Lord Advocate shall remain effective notwithstanding his subsequently having died or demitted office and may be taken up and proceeded with by his successor.
(2)During any period when the office of Lord Advocate is vacant it shall be lawful to indict accused persons in the name of the Solicitor General then in office.
(3)The advocates depute shall not demit office when a Lord Advocate dies or demits office but shall continue in office until their successors receive commissions.
(4)The advocates depute and procurators fiscal shall have power, notwithstanding any vacancy in the office of Lord Advocate, to take up and proceed with any indictment which—
(a)by virtue of subsection (1) above, remains effective; or
(b)by virtue of subsection (2) above, is in the name of the Solicitor General.
(5)For the purposes of this Act, where, but for this subsection, demission of office by one Law Officer would result in the offices of both being vacant, he or, where both demit office on the same day, the person demitting the office of Lord Advocate shall be deemed to continue in office until the warrant of appointment of the person succeeding to the office of Lord Advocate is granted.
(6)The Lord Advocate shall enter upon the duties of his office immediately upon the grant of his warrant of appointment; and he shall as soon as is practicable thereafter take the oaths of office before any Secretary of State or any Lord Commissioner of Justiciary.]
Textual Amendments
F1S. 42 substituted (31.3.1996 subject to transitional provisions and savings in the commencing S.I.) by 1995 c. 20, s. 117(1), Sch. 6 Pt. I para. 18; S.I. 1996/517, arts. 3(2), 4-6, Sch. 2