Key players in the proceedings include Dean of Faculty Roddy Dunlop KC, Lynda Brabender KC, Tony Graham KC, Rosemary Guinnane, Desmond Cheyne, and Amy Donachie. Current devils Alex Critchley, Deirdre Flanigan, Richard Templeton, and Eilish Lindsay will appear as junior counsel and the clerk on the day is also a current devil, Graham Horn.

Monies raised by the sale of tickets for the event, which has been organised by the Junior Bar Association, will be donated to Family Journeys, a charity formerly known as Family Mediation Lothian.

“We are very excited to present the Messy Divorce of the Merry Couple this year and are extremely grateful to Lord Carloway for giving us permission for the proof to go ahead in Parliament Hall. I hope that this festive event will be both educational and light-hearted Christmas fun,” said the president of the Junior Bar Association, Antonia Welsh.

“We promise to bring lots of festive cheer to Parliament Hall while also raising some much-needed funding for Family Journeys,” she added.

Family Journeys has been providing services to families in Edinburgh and the Lothians since the 1980s. It offers wide-ranging support to blended families, separated families and single parents to help navigate the storms that come with relationship breakdowns. These include mediation services for parents, child contact centres for children to meet and spend time with non-resident parents, and parenting classes. Often the mediation service is ordered through the Courts, as is the use of the contact centres. Some of Family Journeys’ work is funded by the Scottish Legal Aid Board but it is still reliant on charitable donations, government grants and fundraising.

The event is open to everyone – Faculty staff, advocates, solicitors, their families and friends and anyone else who would like to come along. It qualifies for an hour of advocacy CPD for Faculty members. A drinks reception after the proceedings have concluded is being sponsored by Westwater Advocates. Donations of toys at the event to the Faculty Christmas Collection will also be gratefully received.

The ‘Santa Divorce’ will take place on Thursday 15 December in Parliament Hall from 6pm to 8pm. Tickets cost £10 per person and can be booked here.