§ Dame Judith Hartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many of the cases brought before the sheriff courts in 1980, 1981 and 1982 relating to crimes and offences, respectively, the result was a formal verdict that there was no case to answer.
§ Mr. YoungerThe statistics on sheriff court proceedings collected by my Department do not identify separately those proceedings in which the sheriff decides that there is no case for the accused to answer.
Such decisions will precede, and obviate the need for, a formal trial verdict of not guilty; but the two are similar in their effect upon the accused, and are classified together in court returns.