Criminal Verdicts (Scotland) Act 2019 1

MODEL
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

Criminal Verdicts (Scotland) Bill

SP Bill 78

(as introduced)

An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision about the verdicts available in criminal
proceedings; and for connected purposes.

1 Restriction to verdicts of proven and not proven

In the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, after section 292 insert—
“Available verdicts

292A Available verdicts

In criminal proceedings, the only verdicts available are proven and not proven.”

2 References to guilt
In any document, instrument, or enactment (whenever passed or made)—
(a) a reference to a verdict of guilty includes a reference to a verdict of proven, and
(b) any comparable expression or construction is to be read accordingly.

3 Commencement
This Act comes into force 3 months after Royal Assent.

4 Short title
The short title of this Act is the Criminal Verdicts (Scotland) Act 2019.