News

Three neighbouring towns have voted in close-fought referendums to legalise alcohol sales after decades-long bans. A handful of US states, particularly in the south, allow local communities to ban the sale of alcohol after a so-called "dry/wet" referendum.

Scotland’s top law officer has successfully challenged a judge’s decision that the Crown was “barred” from prosecuting a man for murder, having previously accepted his guilty plea to a charge of assaulting the same man, who died almost five years later as a result of his inju

Serco's lock-change evictions of asylum seekers without court orders are lawful, the Inner House of the Court of Session has ruled in a judgment whose implications have been described as "deeply concerning". Upholding the judgment of the Outer House, judges said that the Home Office contractor did n

Clan Childlaw’s case involving the rights of brothers and sisters in children’s hearings began in the Supreme Court today. The case, known as ABC, involves a 14-year-old (now aged 16) who wanted to have a say in decisions made about his sibling at children’s hearings.

The Trump Organization has paid a £225,000 legal bill with the Scottish government after losing a court battle over a windfarm near the company's Aberdeenshire golf course. US President Donald Tump's firm agreed to settle the legal bill before a dispute over the costs went to adjudication.

The Supreme Court has remitted the case of a Liberian woman who challenged various counts of torture made against her by reference to the interpretation of the term “person acting in an official capacity”. Lord Lloyd-Jones gave the majority judgment, with which Lady Hale, Lord Wilson and

A statutory public inquiry will be held to examine the circumstances leading up to and following the death of Sheku Bayoh, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has announced. In a statement to Parliament, Mr Yousaf said the process of appointing the chair of the inquiry will begin shortly. Mr Yousaf will

A first group of expert speakers has been confirmed for the Faculty of Advocates’ 21st Century Bar Conference. Inner House judge Lord Brodie will give the keynote address at the free event on Friday 6 December in the Mackenzie Building, Old Assembly Close, High Street, Edinburgh.

The problems with rape sentencing will be the topic of a talk delivered in Edinburgh next month by Dr Graeme Brown. Dr Brown, whose book on the topic is soon to be published, will speak at a meeting of the Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland (SSC Society) on Tuesday 3 Decemb

A mother-of-five faces up to three months in jail after failing to return library books for two years. Melinda Sanders-Jones checked out two books in 2017 but forgot about them until she visited the same library to use the printer.

Scotland’s oldest university will be able to pursue legal action in this jurisdiction against a company it has accused of infringing its trade marks in the sale of student gowns after a Court of Session judge rejected arguments by the London-based retailer that the case should be hea

The Crown Office has said the evidence in relation to the events surrounding the death of Sheku Bayoh in May 2015 does not warrant prosecution. It said the decision had been made after a “thorough review” but added a prosecution could be brought in the future if new facts come to light.

Professor Stuart Cross has been made an emeritus professor of law as he retires from the University of Dundee. Professor Cross has also been appointed as a member of the Law Society of Scotland's Technology Law and Practice Committee, become a trustee of Leisure & Culture Dundee and is also now

Julie Hamilton considers the role of mediation in commercial litigation and whether the flexibility it offers may be the route to avoiding, or at least limiting, the disputes that get to court. What is mediation?

A decision in the case brought against the lock-change evictions of asylum seekers in Glasgow carried out by Serco will be handed down tomorrow. The appellate decision in Ali v Serco Ltd, Compass SNI Ltd and the Secretary of State for the Home Department will be delivered by judges in the Inner