{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/solicitors-scotland-act-1980/schedule-4/paragraph-9",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/solicitors-scotland-act-1980/schedule-4/paragraph-9.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1980/46",
  "legislation_title": "Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/solicitors-scotland-act-1980",
  "path": "schedule/4/paragraph/9",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "9",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "Subject to Part IV, the Tribunal may dismiss a complaint against a solicitor or an incorporated practice authorised legal business—\n(a) without requiring the solicitor or the incorporated practice authorised legal business to answer the allegations made against him or, as the case may be, it or without holding any enquiry if—\n(i) they are of the opinion that the complaint discloses no prima facie case of professional misconduct on the part of the solicitor or, of failure on the part of the incorporated practice authorised legal business to comply with any provision of this Act or of rules made under this Act. . . ; or\n(ii) the complainer fails to comply with any rule made under section 52; or\n(b) without hearing parties if they are of the opinion upon consideration of the complaint and other documents that they disclose no case of professional misconduct on the part of the solicitor or, of failure on the part of the incorporated practice authorised legal business to comply with any provision of this Act or of rules made under this Act. . . .",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words inserted by Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1985 (c. 73, SIF 76:2), s. 56, Sch. 1 Pt. I para. 35(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 4 para. 9 substituted (1.7.2026 for specified purposes) by Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025 (asp 8), s. 103(3), sch. 1 para. 33(2); S.S.I. 2026/96, reg. 2(3)(4), sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Sch. 4 paras. 7-9, 11, 13-15, 18A-22 applied (with modifications) (15.8.2003) by 1990 c. 49, s. 21B(1)(2) (as inserted by Public Appointments and Public Bodies etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 4), ss. 17, 21(2)(3), Sch. 4 para. 12(9); S.S.I. 2003/384, art. 2)"
    }
  ],
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      "type": "inserted",
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      "affecting_title": "Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2010"
    },
    {
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  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/46/schedule/4/paragraph/9",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:15:15.254365+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."
}