Question

Difficulty: EasyCriminal Courts in Scotland

The Scottish criminal justice system is unique within the United Kingdom because it allows for three possible outcomes at the end of a trial. In addition to 'guilty' and 'not guilty', which of the following is the third verdict available in Scotland?

  1. Not provenAnswer
  2. B
    Innocent
  3. C
    Case dismissed
  4. D
    Insufficient evidence

Answer

The third verdict available in Scotland is 'not proven'.
In Scotland, the criminal justice system allows for three verdicts: 'guilty', 'not guilty', and 'not proven'. A 'not proven' verdict has the same legal effect as 'not guilty', meaning the accused is acquitted and set free.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the geographical context of the question.
The question specifically asks about the criminal justice system in Scotland.
Scottish law differs from the law in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
2
Recall the unique feature of Scottish criminal verdicts.
Scotland uses a 'three-verdict' system: Guilty, Not Guilty, and Not Proven.
This is a fundamental distinction of the Scottish legal system taught for the Life in the UK test.

Key Concept

The Three Verdicts in Scotland
Estimated Time:30s
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