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The First Diet

The Crown and the defence are expected to address the court on their state of preparation for trial in solemn procedure. If the accused is being prosecuted in the Sheriff Court, this hearing is known as the First Diet. The First Diet is fixed after the indictment is served on the accused. The indictment specifies the charges in which the accused is to face trial. An indictment is served on an accused accompanied by a numbered list of witnesses who may be called by the Crown to give evidence, and a numbered list of productions that may be used. The witness statements and the productions must be disclosed to the defence in advance of the trial diet.