Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987

87 Effect of warrants for diligence in extract decrees and other documents. S

(1) Every extract of a decree for the payment of money, or among other things for the payment of money, which is pronounced by—

(a) the Court of Session;

(b) the High Court of Justiciary; or

(c) the Court of Teinds,

shall contain a warrant in the form prescribed by Act of Sederunt or, as the case may be, by Act of Adjournal.

(2) The warrant referred to in subsection (1) above shall have the effect of authorising—

(a) in relation to an ordinary debt, the charging of the debtor to pay to the creditor within the period specified in the charge the sum specified in the extract and any interest accrued on the sum and, in the event of failure to make such payment within that period, the execution of an earnings arrestment and the [F1 attachment] of articles belonging to the debtor and, if necessary for the purpose of executing the [F1 attachment], the opening of shut and lockfast places;

(b) in relation to an ordinary debt, an arrestment other than an arrestment of the debtor’s earnings in the hands of his employer; and

[F2 (ba) in relation to an ordinary debt, inhibition against the debtor;]

(c) if the decree consists of or includes a maintenance order, a current maintenance arrestment in accordance with Part III of this Act.

(3) In section 7(1) of the M1 Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Extracts Act 1892 (import of the warrant for execution), for the words from “it shall” to the end there shall be substituted the following words—

“the said warrant shall have the effect of authorising—

(a) in relation to an ordinary debt within the meaning of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987, the charging of the debtor to pay to the creditor within the period specified in the charge the sum specified in the extract and any interest accrued on the sum and, in the event of failure to make such payment within that period, the execution of an earnings arrestment and the poinding of articles belonging to the debtor and, if necessary for the purpose of executing the poinding, the opening of shut and lockfast places;

(b) in relation to an ordinary debt within the meaning of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987, an arrestment other than an arrestment of the debtor’s earnings in the hands of his employer; and

(c) if the decree consists of or includes a maintenance order within the meaning of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987, a current maintenance arrestment in accordance with Part III of that Act.”.

(4) For section 3 of the M2 Writs Execution (Scotland) Act 1877 there shall be substituted the following section—

“3 Power to execute diligence by virtue of warrant.

The warrant inserted in an extract of a document registered in the Books of Council and Session or in sheriff court books which contains an obligation to pay a sum of money shall have the effect of authorising—

(a) in relation to an ordinary debt within the meaning of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987, the charging of the debtor to pay to the creditor within the period specified in the charge the sum specified in the extract and any interest accrued on the sum and, in the event of failure to make such payment within that period, the execution of an earnings arrestment and the poinding of articles belonging to the debtor and, if necessary for the purpose of executing the poinding, the opening of shut and lockfast places;

(b) in relation to an ordinary debt within the meaning of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987, an arrestment other than an arrestment of the debtor’s earnings in the hands of his employer; and

(c) if the document is a maintenance order within the meaning of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987, a current maintenance arrestment in accordance with Part III of that Act.”.

(5) An extract of a decree in an action of poinding of the ground shall contain a warrant in the form prescribed by Act of Sederunt which shall have the effect of authorising a poinding of the ground.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 87(2)(a) substituted (30.12.2002) by Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17), s. 61, Sch. 3 Pt. 1 para. 17(9) (with s. 63)

F2 S. 87(2)(ba) inserted (22.4.2009) by Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 3), ss. 146(5), 227(3) (with s. 223); S.S.I. 2009/67, art. 3(1)(a) (with arts. 4-6) (as amended (31.1.2011) by S.S.I. 2011/31, art. 5(b))

Marginal Citations

M1 1892 c. 17.

M2 1877 c. 40.