Scottish Criminal Law

Scottish Criminal Law

Scots criminal law governs the rules of criminal law in Scotland. Scottish criminal law relies far more heavily on common law than in England and Wales. Scottish criminal law includes offences against the person of murder, culpable homicide, rape and assault, offences against property such as theft and malicious mischief, and public order offences including mobbing and breach of the peace. Scottish criminal law can also be found in the statute books of the UK Parliament with some areas of criminal law, such as misuse of drugs and traffic offences appear identical on both sides of the Border. Scottish criminal law can also be found in the statute books of the Scottish Parliament such as the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 asp 9 and Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act 2007 asp 11 have only legal extent to Scotland. In fact, the Scots requirement of corroboration in criminal matters changes the practical prosecution of crimes derived from the same enactment. Corroboration is not required in England or in civil cases in Scotland. Scotland is one of the few jurisdictions who require corroboration.

Read more about Scottish Criminal Law:  Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, "Not Proven" Verdict, List of Offences, Defences, Cases, References

Famous quotes containing the words scottish, criminal and/or law:

    We’ll never know the worth of water till the well go dry.
    —18th-century Scottish proverb, collected in James Kelly, Complete Collection of Scottish Proverbs, no. 351 (1721)

    A criminal trial is like a Russian novel: it starts with exasperating slowness as the characters are introduced to a jury, then there are complications in the form of minor witnesses, the protagonist finally appears and contradictions arise to produce drama, and finally as both jury and spectators grow weary and confused the pace quickens, reaching its climax in passionate final argument.
    Clifford Irving (b. 1930)

    Jesus said to his Jews: “The law was for servants—love God as I love him, as his son! What are morals to us sons of God!”
    Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)