Section 57 – Judicial Officers
177.Section 57(1) creates the office of judicial officer and any person holding the office will have the functions (which include powers and duties) conferred on that office by the provisions of this Act (including any subordinate legislation made under powers contained in this Act) and by any other legislation.
178.A person may be granted a commission as a judicial officer by the Lord President only on the recommendation of the Commission provided the Commission is satisfied that the requirements set out in section 58(1) are met and that the person is a member of the professional association designated by the Scottish Ministers under section 63(1). The Commission must notify the applicant and the professional association where a commission is granted.
179.A judicial officer (unlike a sheriff officer) may carry out the functions of a judicial officer throughout Scotland (subsection (4)).
180.Subsection (5) provides that any person wishing to be a judicial officer must apply to the Commission unless the person is deemed to hold a commission as a judicial officer as a result of section 60(2). Under that section, messengers-at-arms and sheriff officers who hold a commission as such immediately before the day on which that section comes into force will automatically become judicial officers.
181.Subsection (6) provides for the process by which the Lord President may deprive an officer of his or her office. This will be done after the disciplinary committee of the Commission makes such a recommendation to the Lord President and once any time limit for appeal under section 74 has expired with no appeal having been made. The Lord President’s decision is to be notified to the officer, the professional association, the Court of Session and every sheriff principal.
