{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019.json",
  "id": "asp/2019/8",
  "title": "Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Act 2019",
  "short_title": "Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Act 2019",
  "long_title": "An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision about the use of special measures for the purpose of taking the evidence of child witnesses and other vulnerable witnesses in criminal proceedings; to make provision about the procedure relating to taking evidence by commissioner; to make provision about the procedure for authorisation of standard special measures; and for connected purposes.",
  "citation": "2019 asp 8",
  "type": "asp",
  "year": "2019",
  "number": "8",
  "version": "current",
  "date": "2019-06-13",
  "revised": true,
  "valid_from": "2026-03-30",
  "extent": "S",
  "unapplied_effects": 0,
  "provisions": [
    {
      "path": "introduction",
      "kind": "introduction",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Introductory text",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/introduction",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/child-witnesses",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Child witnesses",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
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      "path": "section/1",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "1",
      "heading": "Child witnesses in certain solemn cases",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-1",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/child-witnesses"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/2",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "2",
      "heading": "Child witnesses under the age of 12",
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      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/child-witnesses"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/deemed-vulnerable-witnesses",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Deemed vulnerable witnesses",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": "prospective",
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/3",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "3",
      "heading": "Deemed vulnerable witnesses in certain solemn cases",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-3",
      "extent": null,
      "status": "prospective",
      "parent": "crossheading/deemed-vulnerable-witnesses"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/review-of-arrangements-for-taking-evidence",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Review of arrangements for taking evidence",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/4",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "4",
      "heading": "Review of arrangements for vulnerable witnesses",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-4",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/review-of-arrangements-for-taking-evidence"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/taking-evidence-by-commissioner",
      "kind": "crossheading",
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      "heading": "Taking evidence by commissioner",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/5",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "5",
      "heading": "Taking evidence by commissioner",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-5",
      "extent": null,
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    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/notification-procedure-for-standard-special-measures",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Notification procedure for standard special measures",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/6",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "6",
      "heading": "Using only standard special measures",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-6",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/notification-procedure-for-standard-special-measures"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/timeframes-for-vulnerable-witness-notices",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Timeframes for vulnerable witness notices",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/7",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "7",
      "heading": "Timeframe for considering vulnerable witness notice",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-7",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/timeframes-for-vulnerable-witness-notices"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/8",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "8",
      "heading": "Vulnerable witness notice: lodging deadline",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-8",
      "extent": "S",
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/timeframes-for-vulnerable-witness-notices"
    },
    {
      "path": "crossheading/reporting-requirement",
      "kind": "crossheading",
      "number": null,
      "heading": "Reporting requirement",
      "url": null,
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": null
    },
    {
      "path": "section/9",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "9",
      "heading": "Report on operation of sections 1 and 5",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-9",
      "extent": null,
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    },
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      "kind": "section",
      "number": "10",
      "heading": "Consequential amendments",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-10",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/general"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/11",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "11",
      "heading": "Ancillary provision",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-11",
      "extent": null,
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    },
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      "number": "12",
      "heading": "Commencement",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-12",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
      "parent": "crossheading/general"
    },
    {
      "path": "section/13",
      "kind": "section",
      "number": "13",
      "heading": "Short title",
      "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/section-13",
      "extent": null,
      "status": null,
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    }
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      "date": "2019-06-14",
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      "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2019/8/pdfs/asp_20190008_en.pdf"
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      "title": "Explanatory Note",
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  "changes_made_by": 27,
  "changes_made_by_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/changes/by-it.json",
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  "instruments_made_under_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/vulnerable-witnesses-criminal-evidence-scotland-act-2019/instruments.json",
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2019/8",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:13:02.308400+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."
}