{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/act-of-sederunt-messengers-at-arms-and-sheriff-officers-rules-1991/article-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/act-of-sederunt-messengers-at-arms-and-sheriff-officers-rules-1991/article-4.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1991/1397",
  "legislation_title": "Act of Sederunt (Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers Rules) 1991",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/act-of-sederunt-messengers-at-arms-and-sheriff-officers-rules-1991",
  "path": "article/4",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Qualification as messenger-at-arms",
  "text": "(1) A sheriff officer may not become a messenger-at-arms unless–\n(a) subject to paragraph (2) below, he has been in practice as a sheriff officer for a period of not less than two years; and\n(b) within five years before applying to the Court of Session for recommendation for appointment as a messenger-at-arms, he has passed all such examinations as may be required by the committee of examiners.\n(2) The Court of Session may, in an application to which rule 7 below applies, on special cause shown, reduce the period of practice required under paragraph (1)(a) above.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "ssi/2024/157",
      "affecting_title": "Act of Sederunt (Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers Rules) (Amendment) 2024"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/1397/article/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T14:42:44.836530+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}